One of my greatest joys is serving family and friends around our dining room table. It is the place we sit face to face or shoulder to shoulder, and connect in a way not otherwise possible. Our dining room table is an anchor, an altar, the place we often return to to share life and love. It is a common place, a familiar place, a refuge, and I’ve often said our table is sacred, the place that steadies our pace and reminds us who one another is, who I am.
It is around our table we talk and listen, laugh and cry, eat and drink, and celebrate the common and the extraordinary. Yes, this is a place set apart by the Divine, where Jesus even chose to tell his greatest secrets and the things that would change…everything.
I love the traditions of food–recipes time-tested, begged for, identifiers for the people who mean so much to us. All that country cookin’ prepared by my Aunt Estelle, the simple, glorious dishes by my mother-in-love, my grandmother’s touch of butter or sugar in everything…when I eat their recipes, it’s like I’m with them again.
And I love that people beg me to make certain things–apple pie, sweet & sour green beans, chocolate eclair dessert! And mac and cheese…
Just when you thought you had found the perfect macaroni and cheese recipe, I’m gonna have to burst your bubble–
This recipe is better than my amazing mother-in-law’s…
or Southern Living’s…
or even my beloved Paula Deen’s…
or {please don’t tell her I said it…!} even Pioneer Woman’s.
This oh-so-easy mac & cheese recipe is light and fluffy, and my friend Julie declares “it’s worth the calories.” Of course, she says that so I’ll cook it for her, but I’m inclined to agree.
After my sister-in-law served it to us, I wouldn’t leave until she shared the recipe. Thankfully, she was more than willing.
Depending on the recipe you’re accustomed to cooking, the proportions/ingredient list is going to seem wrong; but all I know is it’s the rightest mac & cheese ever to cross my lips. And if you’ve never attempted homemade mac & cheese? Oh, my…you’re probably gonna love me!
Eat…Pray…Love–this dish is a near ’bout spiritual experience.
Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese
- 5 eggs
- 2 cups milk
- 8 oz. elbow macaroni
- 1 stick butter, sliced into pats
- 12 oz grated, sharp cheddar cheeese
- salt and pepper to taste
Boil macaroni as directed on package. Strain and pour into large bowl. Add butter and cheese, and stir til melted and coated. In a separate bowl, mix eggs, milk, salt and pepper; pour egg mixture into macaroni mixture. Pour this into a greased, 2 1/2 quart casserole dish.
Bake at 350° for about 30-45 minutes; sides should be firm but jiggly in the center.
Note: you can mix the cheese in all at once, or if you’d like a more traditional look, reserve enough to sprinkle on the top.
Not only is this delicious, it might just be the easiest recipe next to Kraft Macaroni & Cheese!
Due to the cook devouring the finished recipe as soon as it came out of the oven technical difficulties, I’ll have to add a finished picture when I remember. Forgive me for now?
Enjoy!!
That is shockingly easy. I will have to try it. Thanks for sharing!
I have all of these ingredients!! Yay! I might have to make it tomorrow.
You are right – the proportions seem way wrong. But I might just have to try it because I love to break the rules 😉
Yum, looks delicious! I think I’ll try this today but either double or triple it for our full house. Can’t wait!
This is southern “custard” style mac & cheese. I’ve been making it for years. It’s a little bland without a bit of salt and onion powder and dry mustard powder and a pinch of cayenne added to the custard, but it’s very good. You can add more cheese, and more milk if needed to just cover the macaroni. It’s a very forgiving recipe, I never measure anything for it.
Great recipe! I’m going to try it out right now!
How custard-y is it, really? I’m not a fan of custard at all. But i LOVE Mac & Cheese.
Do i have to use all 5 eggs? If i use a few less would that make it less custard-y?
Thanks!
Hey, A Facebook User :),
Honestly? I’d say it’s more souffle-y, not custardy, but maybe that’s a case of ToMAto vs ToMAHto, ya know?
I’ve made it with four eggs before (because I didn’t have five) and since they were large, it was fine. The dish is light and fluffy, not dense like M&Ces that have no eggs and lots of pasta/cheese.
It’s so light, in fact, maybe it qualifies as diet food? If only it weren’t for that pesky butter…. 😉
great and soooooo easy. I added a bit of bacon grease and grated onion and red peper. I am in New Orleans and it all has toi have a puch of pepper down here!
Oh my… I think I'll have to try that! Thanks for letting me know !
Oh my… I think I'll have to try that! Thanks for letting me know !
Just tried it and it is AWESOME! Would maybe put just a bit more cheese in it but that’s cause i just love cheese.
I have been searching for the perfect homemade mac and cheese recipe this summer! And truly, I have failed epically… my kids keep saying they want the blue box. Sigh! I will definitely try this!
This is going on my list for Thanksgiving. Is there anything that says “comfort & yumminess” more than mac and cheese? I think not…
Robin! It’s hilarious that we both share macaroni and cheese recipes and I do believe that yours is more in keeping with my grandmother’s recipe than the one I put in my post today! I can’t wait to try it and am sure I’ll find that memory of time in her home on Sundays envelope me with the first bite of this macaroni and cheese.
Thanks for leading the discussion at (in)courage Bloom Book Club this summer!
I am imagining the finished picture, and it is making me hungry!
I love all the sentiments of gathering at the table with family, the best family gatherings are always around the table!
Love that you chose to share a recipe! I am rarely a fix it twice kinda girl because I’m forever trying out a new recipe (or I forgot which one I used and so I try a new one!). Thank you again for leading us to the table and into community with one another this summer. I’ve loved every bite.
This is a FANTASTIC recipe! I made it a couple of weeks ago & we LOVED it. During a recent trip to Nashville,TN we had some Pulled Pork & Mac & Cheese that was amazing so since I had some pulled pork in the freezer I mixed that in too. It was just as good as what we had in Nashville. Thanks for the recipe! I’m making it again for dinner tonight – upon request
Best recipe ever just made it and it’s a hit! Why would you bother doing this any other way love it!
Mine turned into scrambled eggs, I don’t know where I went wrong?
I hate to hear that, Charmaine, and have NO idea what happened. I’ve never had any problems when following this recipe (as shared with me by my sister in law). I’m sure you aren’t eager to try it again, and I wish I could help figure out why that occurred. So odd…. :/