Day 202- Panera Bread Mac and Cheese Recipe

We love Panera Bread’s Mac and Cheese.  It’s so good, but so bad for you.  A large is like 1000 calories!  I saw this pin abouta copycat recipe for the mac and cheese, so I decided to try it.

Here is the recipe:

Panera Bread's Stove Top Mac and Cheese

16 oz pasta shells
4 tbsp butter
1/3 to 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2-1/2 cups milk or heavy cream
4 oz white American cheese, chopped or torn into pieces
8 oz extra sharp white Vermont cheddar, shredded
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp Frank's hot sauce

In a large stockpot, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well.

While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and has started to bubble, whisk in the flour; cook for 1-1/2 minutes whisking constantly.  Gradually whisk in the milk until no lumps remain. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook milk mixture, whisking frequently, until it thickens and bubbles, about 8 minutes.

Remove sauce pan from the heat and by the handful, stir in the cheeses allowing all of the cheese to melt into the sauce before adding more. Stir in the mustard, salt, and hot sauce. Return the sauce pan to the heat and stir in the pasta. Be sure to stir up the sauce from the bottom of the sauce pan and thoroughly coat all of the pasta with sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes over medium-low heat until heated through. 

Let’s just say that mine was not as good as Panera’s.  In fact, mine wasn’t good at all.  I followed the recipe exactly.  I think it was the flour.  It made the sauce gritty.  I would try it again without the flour.  And one tbsp. of Dijon mustard was way too much.  I used less than half of that and the taste was still the most predominate taste. 

I has such high hopes for this recipe.  Maybe it’s me.  Has anyone had any success with this recipe or something like it?