"WORLD'S BEST" MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Butter or oil an 8-inch baking dish.
• Cook the penne 2 minutes less than package directions. (It will finish cooking in the oven.) Rinse the pasta in cold water and set aside.
• Combine the cooked pasta and the sauce in a medium bowl and mix carefully but thoroughly. Scrape the pasta into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the top with the cheeses and then the chili powder.
• Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Let the mac and cheese sit for 5 minutes before serving.
• Beecher's Flagship Cheese Sauce
• Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat and whisk in the flour. Continue whisking and cooking for 2 minutes.
• Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly. Cook until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat.
• Add the cheeses, salt, chili powder, and garlic powder. Stir until the cheese is melted and all ingredients are incorporated, about 3 minutes. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
• This sauce reheats nicely on the stove in a saucepan over low heat. Stir frequently so the sauce doesn't scorch.
• Make Ahead
• This recipe can be assembled before baking and frozen for up to 3 months-just be sure to use a freezer-to-oven pan and increase the baking time to 50 minutes.
• notes
• One-half teaspoon of chipotle chili powder makes a spicy mac, so make sure your family and friends can handle it!
• The proportion of pasta to cheese sauce is crucial to the success of the dish. It will look like a lot of sauce for the pasta, but some of the liquid will be absorbed.