President Reagan’s Macaroni and Cheese

 Printable Version

Mac ‘n Cheese has recently become a signature family dish, thanks to my sister-in-law, Lynne (who I call “Sissy”). Last Thanksgiving, she brought a whopping slab of it to my sister Gretchen’s big feast; Sissy apparently made way too much for another need and this one was a spare. (Imagine… a SPARE mac ‘n cheese!) Huge hit of the holiday, and subsequent family functions now expect some of the good stuff.

In my recipe binder, I have more Mac ‘n Cheeses than any other item. If it weren’t for the fact that it’s loaded with fat and sodium, I would make it a lot more often. Supposedly, the Martha Stewart version is THE most downloaded of all the universe, but we don’t like a breadcrumb topping and hers calls for fancier cheeses than my staples.

We’re packing to leave on vacation in a few days and a one-pound block of sharp cheddar cheese in the fridge needed to ‘et. President Reagan’s version was the right choice because it makes just enough for us to finish up before leaving. However, reading my clip to follow precisely for blogging purposes (I never have before) uncovered missing quantities and sloppy instructions – another LA Times food section clip, oy vey. Online, you can find the recipe published often, so I cross-checked and then fixed my clip. This turned out crispy, tasty and very cheeeeezy:

Ronald Reagan’s Macaroni and Cheese

• 1/2 lb. uncooked macaroni
• 1 tsp. butter
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• 1 cup warm milk
• 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (3/4 lb.), reserve 1/4 cup for topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a 2 quart casserole dish with non-stick coating.  Cook macaroni in a pot of salted water until tender, drain.   In a large mixing bowl, mix butter, egg, mustard and milk.  Add cooked macaroni to mix and stir to coat.  Add cheese, combine.  Pour into casserole dish and sprinkle with additional shredded cheese.  Bake 45 minutes or until custard is set and top is crusty.  Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Tagged as: cheese, easy, famous, frugal, mac 'n cheese, macaroni, Meatless, mustard, Pasta & Pizza, president, reagan, recipe, ronald, Ronald Reagan Macaroni and Cheese