CLASSIC MACARONI & CHEESE

Prep 15 min. | Total 55 min. Serves 8 to 10 Fire up the oven and break out the cheese: this baked pasta recipe is exactly what you need to get through fall and winter. 3 cups macaroni pasta

1/3 cup butter

1 small onion, diced

3 sprigs of thyme

2 cloves of garlic, minced

3/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

4 cups milk

2 1/2 cups shredded old cheddar, divided

1 cup shredded gruyère

1 cup grated parmesan

2 tsp Dijon mustard 1. Preheat oven to 425F. 2. Cook pasta following package directions less 2 minutes, until just tender. Drain and set aside.

3. Melt butter in a large pot over medium. Add onion and cook until softened, 3 minutes. Add thyme, garlic and salt and cook for 1 minute. Stir in flour with a wooden spoon until golden, 1 min. Gradually add milk, 1/2 cup at a time, over 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Increase heat to mediumhigh and continue to stir until mixture has just come to a boil and is slightly thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the cheddar and the gruyère, parmesan and Dijon until smooth. Stir in pasta, then scrape into a 9 × 13-in. casserole dish and top with remaining 1 cup cheddar.

5. Place on a baking sheet and bake until sauce is bubbly and topping is golden, 15 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Kitchen tip: The key to a good baked mac and cheese is using lots of sauce, so it absorbs into and thickens the noodles, and choosing two- to three-year-old cheddar for the best flavour.