Garlic Macaroni and Cheese

There's something about baked pasta dishes that makes a comfort food like macaroni even better. I think it has something to do with that crunchy crust that forms from being in the oven.

This dish is super easy to make. This is everything you'll need minus the noodles, of course.

While your pasta is cooking pull out a sauce pan and melt your butter along with some garlic. Once it has melted add flour to thicken things up. Next I slowly add milk and watch that thicken as well. Once your creamy sauce looks like it has thickend to your liking remove it from the stove top. Then you'll add your cheeses.

This Boursin cheese is sort of like a secret ingredient to the whole thing. It has a wonderful garlicky flavor and also makes everything really creamy.

You can use whatever cheddar cheese you have in your home. Chedddar is pretty much a staple around here. I tend to use a little more than what the recipe says to use. You can too, if you'd like. Stir in the cheese until they have melted.

Then you're going to pour the sauce over your noodles and mix well. It may seem a tad watery, but don't worry. You'll be baking this in the oven and it will all come together beautifully.

Place your noodle mixture in a greased baking dish.

Top the macaroni with the remaining Boursin.

Bake it for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese begins to brown and get all bubbly.

Let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Then serve it up while it's still hot. Not only will your children love this, but you will too.

Garlic Macaroni and Cheese

INGREDIENTS

• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 16 oz. dry pasta
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 4 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 3 cups milk
• ¼ tsp. dried parsley
• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 cup cheddar or white cheddar cheese, shredded
• 4 oz. crumbled garlic and herb boursin cheese, divided
• Salt and pepper
• Snipped chives, for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven temperature to 400˚ F. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook the pasta until about 2 minutes shy of al dente according to the package directions. Drain in a colander. Return the pasta to the pot and set aside. Meanwhile in a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat along with minced garlic. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until light golden, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk, dried parsley, and cayenne. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce comes to a low boil and thickens noticeably. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheddar and about 3 ounces of the boursin. Whisk until the cheese is completely melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Pour the sauce over the drained pasta and toss to coat well. Transfer to a lightly greased 2 quart baking dish and top with the remaining boursin. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the top is browned and the cheese is bubbling. Let cool at least 5-10 minutes before serving. Top with snipped chives for garnish, if desired.

Adapted from Annie's Eats.