Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese

Besides my apple pie recipe, this may be the most requested recipe I have. Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese is exactly like it sounds - Awesomesauce. Unfortunately, I also lack a picture. Will post one next time I make it. Or send it to me when you make it tomorrow...

Smoked Gouda Macaroni and Cheese

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
~2 1/2 cups milk, start small, add as you go for consistency
~1 teaspoon salt
~1/4 teaspoon pepper
~1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
3/4 pound smoked gouda, diced
1/4 pound cheddar, preferably smoked
~3/4 pound elbow macaroni

In a small saucepan melt the butter and start to brown it. Add the flour and stir. Cook the flour for a minute or two. Slowly add milk and stir quickly to prevent lumps from forming. There will be some much lumpy cheese later that any lumps you don't get out will be hidden. Keep the burner on low from here on out. Slowly add the cheese, small portions at a time and give it time to melt. You are trying to incorporate a lot of firm cheese so low and slow is the only way to go. If the sauce is too thick add a little more milk. Now is the point where I add salt and garlic. Lots and lots of salt. The salt is needed to bring out the cheese flavor. I also add a little bit of smoked cheddar cheese to this to highlight the smokey cheesey flavor. Not all the chunks have to totally melt. Worst case you have some yummy chunks of cheese, but if you choose to bake this, most will melt in the oven. Pour this over the cooked macaroni. I found a pound of macaroni to be too much pasta to sauce, but that was based on the size of the smoked gouda blocks I could get. If you choose to bake it, mix well, put in an over safe casserole dish and top with homemade breadcrumbs. I make my own croutons and then just grind them in a food processor to make bread crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-30 minutes (depending on how cold/warm your pasta was it may take that long to reheat up).

Please serve this with a side salad or at least add some tomatoes and green onions to have some veggies in your diet. After all, I like you and don't want to know that you ODed on mac and cheese or had a heart attack from high cholesterol.