Recipe: Hometown Buffet Macaroni and Cheese (copycat recipe)

HOMETOWN BUFFET MACARONI AND CHEESE

"My copycat recipe for Hometown Buffet's "Creamy Macaroni and Cheese"."

8 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni (2 1/8 cups)
2 tablespoons margarine
1 1/3 cups cups skim milk (or 50% milk with 50% water)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adds flavor but not heat)
1 (8 ounce) jar Cheez Whiz
8 ounces mild cheddar cheese, shredded, divided use
2 tablespoons powdered Parmesan cheese

Set oven rack to center position. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (low oven temperature prevents cheese separation for creamier sauce). Spray an 8x8-inch baking dish with non-stick baking spray.

Boil 3 quarts unsalted water in a soup pot (use a tall soup pot since pasta in boiling water tends to foam up. Add 8 ounces elbow macaroni. Scrape bottom immediately to avoid sticking. Use a wire whisk to stir down foam if it rises up to top of pot while boiling. Boil macaroni until tender (not al dente). Pour macaroni in colander (scrape all pasta from bottom of pot). Rinse macaroni under cold running water for 30 seconds; allow to drain.

Return pot to stove top (without macaroni). Add margarine into pot; pour in skim milk (or 50% milk with 50% water) and cayenne pepper.

Set heat to medium; add Cheez-Whiz (scrape from jar with a flexible spatula), and all but two tablespoons of the shredded cheddar cheese (reserving 2 tablespoons for the topping). Whisk mixture often without letting mixture boil until consistent and creamy; remove pot from heat.

Stir in Parmesan cheese, add rinsed drained macaroni and fold ingredients together until consistent and creamy. Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish.

Bake at 300 degrees F for 15 minutes. Turn oven off. Remove dish from oven and sprinkle top with the remaining 2 tablespoons cheddar cheese; Return dish to oven just long enough for the cheese topping to melt. Serve and Enjoy.

Makes 4-6 servings
Adapted from source: Spice Guru / Food.com