15 Minute Stove Top Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

• 8 oz. elbow macaroni noodles
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 6 drops hickory smoke flavor, such as Liquid Smoke
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 4 oz. Medium or Sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
• 3 oz. Monterrey Jack cheese, grated
• Freshly cracked black pepper or cayenne, for garnish, optional

Directions

1. Cook the pasta following the package instructions until it is tender, just beyond al dente, then drain it. While the noodles cook, so this stays a 15 minute recipe, combine the 1% milk, butter, onion powder, garlic powder, liquid smoke, Dijon mustard, and salt in a medium saucepan, and heat over medium until the mixture is scalded.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the 1/2 cup evaporated milk. Slowly whisk in 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture, then pour that tempered mixture back into the saucepan while whisking.
3. Set the heat to medium low and cook, stirring the whole time, until the sauce is thick enough to cling to the back of a wooden spoon, about 3 minutes. Add the cheese and the drained pasta, then fold everything together gently with a rubber spatula until the cheese is melted. Serve right away with optional black pepper or cayenne pepper sprinkled over the top.