This is from Cooks Illustrated, my favorite TV cooking show. I have subscribed to their magazine for the last few years and own several of their cookbooks. Now that I have started making this Mac and Cheese, my kids won't eat any other kind.
Macaroni and CheeseBread Crumb Topping
6 slices white sandwich bread--torn into rough pieces
3 T buttter, cut into 6 pieces
Pasta and Cheese
1 pound elbow macaroni
1 T plus 1 t salt
5 T butter
6 T flour
1 1/2 teaspoons powdered mustard
5 cups milk (can use any type but I always have 1% at home, so that is what I use)
8 ounces monterey jack cheese, shredded
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
For Bread crumbs:
In blender, or food processor, pulse bread and butter until made into crumbs.
For Pasta and cheese:
Cook macaroni with 1 T salt until just past al-dente. Better to be more tender. Drain and set aside
In same pan, heat butter over medium high heat until foaming. Add flour and mustard and whisk well to combine. Continue whisking until mixture becomes fragrant and deepens in color--about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, bringing mixture to a boil (must reach full boil to fully thicken.) Reduce heat to medium and simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened to consistancy of heavy cream--about 5 minutes. Off heat, whisk in cheeses, until fully melted. Add pasta and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until mixture is steaming and heated through--about 6 minutes.
Transfure mixture to 9x13 pan, sprinkle evenly with bread crumbs. Broil until crumbs around deep golden brown 3 to 5 minutes.
Can add ham and peas, when adding the pasta for more of a cassarole feel.
