3 Cheese Macaroni

This is not the healthiest recipe.  It is meant to be eaten as a side not as a main dish.  With that being said, we ate it as a main dish with some broiled asparagus.


Ingredients:
1 lb elbow macaroni
4 tbs butter
3 tbs all purpose flour
3 cups Milk
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp smoked paparika
2 bay leaves
1 egg
1 small onion chopped
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 cup parmesan cheese

Topping
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
4 tbs butter
1 cup panko

Preheat oven to 350.
In a large pot of boiling salted water cook the pasta according to package.
Once the pasta is done cooking, drain.   In the same pot melt butter and whisk in the flour.  Cook for about 2 min whisking continuously.   Stir in the milk and the mustard powder and whisk to make sure all the lumps are removed.  Add salt, pepper, bay leaf and smoked paprika.  Simmer for about 5 minutes.  Temper in the egg.  Simmer for an additional minute.
Remove from heat and stir in all the cheese.  Fold in the macaroni. Place in a 9x13 pan and top with 1/2 cup cheddar cheese.

In a saute pan melt the butter and toss the bread crumbs to coat.  Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.