Let me guess what’s on your Easter weekend menu.
I bet there’s a crawfish boil involved at some point, followed by an Easter Sunday lunch strewn with holiday dishes and sides. Crawfish is the easy part, but what to serve for Easter lunch is where things get interesting. Should you go the glazed ham route? Or maybe serve a butterflied leg of lamb, marinated and grilled? Crown roast of pork is a nice option, and so is beef tenderloin and the ever reliable roast turkey. And then there’s my all-time favorite Easter main course, fried chicken.
No matter what you serve, there’s one side dish that always seem to rise to the sunny, spring-y occasion: macaroni and cheese. It’s unpretentious but decadent. It’s easy, inexpensive and serves an army. And there’s something about it that screams Sunday gathering.
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This is my favorite formula, which I’ve shared here in “Spatula Diaries” in years past. It was my grandmother’s recipe, and it comes with two secrets: dry mustard and lots of milk. It seems like a ton of liquid, but the result is creamy and delicious.
Enjoy!
Macaroni and Cheese
Servings: 12-14
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5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 ½ teaspoons dry mustard
6 ¼ cups milk
5 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
16 ounces elbow macaroni
Heat an oven to 375 degrees. In a saucepan, melt the butter. Remove from the heat. Blend in the flour, salt, pepper and dry mustard. Add the milk, and stir over low heat until thickened and smooth. Add all but ¼ cup of cheese. Heat until melted, stirring occasionally. Cook the macaroni per the package’s directions. Combine the macaroni and cheese sauce in 1 or 2 casserole dishes. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Bake for 25 minutes or until browned.
Maggie Heyn Richardson is a regular 225 contributor. Reach her at hungryforlouisiana.com.