Macaroni and Colby Jack Cheese Recipe

My daughter Ashley is allergic to FD&C yellow 5 and 6 dye. Yellow dye is a pervasive ingredient in packaged food. Ashley can not eat any of the macaroni and cheese brands sold at the store. And, that pesky dye is in all the processed cheeses.
Natural cheese tends to be colored orange with natural colorants like annatto or beta carotene. However, I still check the ingredients list carefully. Once in awhile, even a natural cheese will have that darn dye in it.

You know where I'm going with this don't you? Yep, I make pantry style mac and cheese. Milk, butter, flour, and Colby Jack cheese. The tangy, richness of this mac and cheese will cause an intense food moment. Your eyes will close as you savor every flavor note from your taste buds. Bill has only eaten boxed mac and cheese. After eating my version, he told me I had ruined boxed mac and cheese forever. He is looking forward to eating this meatless main dish at least once a month.

Macaroni and Colby Jack Cheese  

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni                                
• 1/4 cup salted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt                                                                        
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour                                                           
• 1 3/4 cup warm milk
• 8 ounces Colby Jack cheese, shredded                                     
• Optional: 1/4 cup chopped onion

Directions

• Cook macaroni as directed on the package.
• Drain macaroni and place into a lightly buttered 1.5 quart casserole.
• Melt butter in a skillet over low heat. If using chopped onion, add it to the skillet and cook over medium heat until onion is slightly tender.
• Add salt, pepper, and flour. Blend in with a whisk.
• Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat.
• Stir in warm milk.
• Heat to boiling, stirring constantly with a whisk. Boil and stir one minute; remove from heat.
• Stir in shredded cheese until melted.
• Stir cheese sauce into the cooked macaroni.
• Cook uncovered in 375 degree oven for metal pans or 350 degree oven for glass pan for 30 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let cool until the bubbling stops.

Yield: about 5 servings