Macaroni & Cheese!

My husband's father came from a family of 8, 7 boys and 1 girl.   Maudy, the matriarch of this family, is quite a lady!  I am sure she has many incredible stories to tell of motherhood and one day I hope to get out to see her in Baltimore and hear them.  She is this tiny, sweet, kind, person who raised all these big guys (I think they are all over 6'1"!) and a wonderful daughter (she was the baby of the family), plus she came up with the beginnings of the recipe I am sharing today.  So here we go with Maudy's Macaroni and Cheese!

This is her original recipe:
2 T butter
2 T flour
1/2 t salt
2 1/2 C milk
2 C cheese, OR 1/3 pound OR 11 slices
8 oz elbow macaroni

Here is our family's version:
1/2 medium yellow onion- chopped small
2 garlic cloves- crushed or fine chopped
3 T butter
3 T flour
1/2 t salt (we use sea salt)
1 1/2 C milk
1 C broth (we use organic vegetable broth) OR skip the broth and add an extra C milk OR 1 C pureed squash (with the squash option I usually add about 1/4 cup more milk for the right consistency)
2 C cheese (we really like to mix this up, our favorites thus far are smoky cheddar and gruyere cheese)
8 oz dry pasta (I let the kiddos pick the shape, they usually go for shells or bowties!)
optional: 1/2 C bread crumbs or panko

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 375
2.  Cook pasta as directed on package
3.   Make the cheese sauce

• Melt butter and add onions.  Cook on medium heat til the onions are transparent.
• Add the garlic and saute for 20 seconds
• add the flour and mix
• slowly add milk and broth/squash 1/2 C at a time allowing mixture to thicken between additions.  Stir frequently
• Heat until thick
• Add cheese and stir until blended

4.  Mix cheese sauce with cooked pasta
5. Put macaroni & cheese (okay pasta & cheese!) into a greased baking dish
6.  sprinkle top with panko or breadcrumbs and a little extra cheese if you want
7.  Bake at 375 for 30 minutes

This recipe is not our most healthy, but everyone loves it!  It is a frequent request and the boys always ask for seconds!  And by boys, I mean the three small ones and the big one I am married to!