Cheesy Homemade Mac 'n Cheese

It's been a little while since I posted one of my current favorite recipes so I thought the blog was due for a good ole recipe post.  Not too long ago I talked about my recent brownie quest--a search where I challenged myself to find an outstanding basic fudgy homemade brownie that was better than a box.  After a couple of tries I settled on a winner although that doesn't mean I'm done trying new brownie recipes.  I see no reason to be stingy with recipes that involve chocolate. 
Well during those brownie quest days, I was also on a "Homemade Mac 'n Cheese" quest.  Over the course of several weeks, I tried various recipes, some from well know chefs and cooks like Alton Brown (Food Network) and the Pioneer Woman (blogger).  Most of these recipes were good, but they weren't quite what I was looking for.  Then one day I was reading an article online about homemade mac 'n cheese and found mention of this recipe: John Thorne's Macaroni and Cheese, aka Cheesey Homemade Mac 'n Cheese.  So without further ado, here's my adapted recipe with photos.
Here's the cast of characters.  All basic items in my kitchen that I generally always have on hand.

Boil 1 pound of elbow macaroni or other similar sized pasta.  I used a bag from the mixed pasta combo sold at Costco.  While your water is boiling and the noodles are cooking, grate 1 pound of cheddar cheese.  I used a combination of sharp and mild--I suppose that evened things out to a nice medium.

Also while the pasta is cooking, beat two eggs.

And melt about 2 Tablespoons of butter in a small skillet.

Then add 1 cup of panko bread crumbs to the melted butter.  Saute for a few minues stirring frequently until bread crumbs are a nice golden brown.

Whe the pasta is done cooking, drain and toss with the butter.  To save myself from having another bowl to wash, I did the tossing right in the collander.

Then you mix the remaining ingredients into an oven safe bowl or dish.  I used my 5 quart removeable crockpot liner and this seemed to be a good size.  Pop the whole thing into a preheated 350* oven for 20 minutes, however, remove the bowl/dish/crockpot liner every five minutes to add more cheese, more evaporated milk (as necessary) and mix.

By the time the 20 minutes has passed you'll have a beautiful and cheesy dish with warm oozy cheese in every nook and cranny of each pasta piece.  The method of mixing the dish every 5 minutes is genius and really helps each piece of pasta to become completely cheesy.

Here's where I add the toasted breadcrumbs from before. 

And then of course, we feast!  But be forewarned, this mac 'n cheese is not for the faint of heart.  It's for those who really like their cheese and prefer their macaroni extra cheesy.

Cheesy Homemade Mac 'n Cheese

adapted from John Thorne

1 lb. elbow macaroni

4 Tblspns. butter--cut into bits

1 dash Tabasco sauce

1 can evaporated milk (12 oz)

1 lb. grated sharp cheddar cheese

2 eggs, beaten

1 tspn ground mustard

salt and pepper to taste

2 Tblspns butter, melted

1 cup panko bread crumbs

Prehead oven to 350*. Boil macaroni until just barely done in salted water.  Meanwhile, melt the 2 Tablespoons of butter and lightly toast the bread crumbs.  Set aside.  When macaroni is finished drain and toss with the butter pieces.  mis the tabasco into the ebaporated milk.  Reserving about 1/3 cup, stir the milk into the macaroni  in an oven safe bowl or dish.  Then add 3/4 of the cheese, the eggs, and mustard.  When well mixed, season with salt and pepper.

Bake in oven for 20 minutes total.  Every 5 minutes remove the bowl/dish and stir in some of the remaining cheese and any milk as needed.  After 20 minutes remove from the oven and top with the toasted bread crumbs.  Serve and enjoy.