Meatball Sub Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and Cheese Base:

16 oz box elbow pasta
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 cup diced yellow onion
1 tsp minced garlic 
2 cups milk
8 oz cream cheese

½ cup mayonnaise
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper 

Meatball Topping:

24 meatballs, cooked (or more, if you like)

2 cups spaghetti sauce
½ cup mozzarella cheese

¼ Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare pasta according to the box directions. 

Sit out cream cheese until room temperature. Combine with mayonnaise and Italian seasoning, and stir until smooth. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt 3 tbsp of butter, add in onion and. Sauté over medium heat until the onions become translucent. Add garlic and stir. Sprinkle the onion and garlic mixture with the 3 tbsp of flour, whisking until a paste forms. Slowly mix in milk, whisking until smooth. Continue mixing until it comes to a low boil. Stir in Mozzarella, Parmesan, and cream cheese mixture. Stir until melted and smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Combine cheese sauce and prepared pasta and pour into a greased 13X9 casserole dish. 

Top casserole with meatballs and pour tomato sauce over the top, Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until the cheese is lightly brown and the casserole is hot and bubbly.  

Mama's Macaroni and Cheese

There were certain dishes that my Mama made especially for her Daddy for Sunday Dinners. The most requested was her Chicken and Dumplin's, but the runner up was her wonderful Ole Fashioned Macaroni and Cheese! This one will be on my Thanksgiving table this year for sure!

1 cup Macaroni, uncooked
2 Eggs, beaten
2 cups, Milk
½ pound, Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Salt & Pepper
2 T Butter

Cook macaroni, drain. Combine eggs and milk in a large bowl. Stir in macaroni, cheese and seasonings. Spoon mixture into a 13x9 casserole dish that has been sprayed with oil. Dot with butter and bake at 325 degrees for 40 to 60 minutes or until set. You can try the knife method. Stick a knife in the center. It should come out clean. Mainly just check that it's not watery. (I use the giggle method. I shake the pan gently, and if it barely moves in the center, it's done... If it's set hard and doesn't move, it's over-done and hard. It takes a while to get this method down, but after you've made as many as I have, you can just look and tell!)

Note: Add a little extra cheese on top, if you like the ‘Crunchy Cheese Top’.