White Cheddar Macaroni And Cheese (Panera Copycat)

• 12 ounces pasta shells
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 8 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups milk
• 6 -8 ounces grated vermont white cheddar cheese
• 1 ounce grated American cheese (optional)
• 1 egg (optional)

1. Boil 2 oz of pasta shells. Slightly undercook the pasta. Set aside.
2. Microwave 4 tbs of butter with 8 tbs of flour for two minutes, stirring with a whisk after each minute.
3. Then slowly add 2 cups of milk, stirring with the whisk constantly.
4. Microwave the entire mixture for several minutes, stirring after each minute, until sauce thickens and takes on a matte finish. How many minutes will depend on the power of your microwave. (Mine took about 6 minutes).
5. Add grated Vermont white cheddar to sauce. The sauce should be hot enough that the cheese will melt as you stir. If not, you may add the cheese then microwave a little more.
6. For an extra creamy sauce, pour a small amount of the pre-cheese sauce into a separate bowl, add one egg and beat vigorously, then return the reserved sauce to the original sauce.
7. Add cheese to taste. I used an entire 8oz block.
8. Add a dash of grated American cheese (optional).
9. Combine pasta and sauce, then pour into a well-greased baking pan. The pasta will absorb some of the liquid, so don't worry if the mixture seems more liquid-y than the way you would normally serve pasta. I used a 9 by 9 inches pan.
10. Bake at 350 degrees covered for about 25 minutes or until bubbling and starting to become golden.

pasta shells, butter, flour, milk, vermont white, american cheese, egg

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/white-cheddar-macaroni-and-cheese-panera-copycat-409909 (may not work)