Left-Over Wednesday: Baked Mac n' Cheese

Mac and cheese has an entire food group catagorzation, in my books! And I do not discriminate against the varieties of mac and cheese that one may find. I. Love. Mac n cheese.
So here's one of my fav reciepes, if you want to take the time!

Baked Mac n' Cheese
From Ree's Kitchen

1 stick butter
1/2 cup flour
3 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (or any other combination of cheese)
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 pound macaroni
1 sleeve Ritz crackers

1. Melt butter over low heat in medium size sauce pan.
2. Whisk in flour until smooth, continuing to cook over low heat and whisking. Cook for approximately 2-5 minutes, until flour mixture is light brown and bubbling. (You just made a roux, the basis for almost any sauce)

3. Whisk milk in very slowly to ensure the smoothness and to keep the milk from curddling. Keep over low heat, whisking frequently. Sauce will start to thicken as it warms.

4. When sauce starts thickening, slowly whisk in cream, still keeping over low heat.

5. Raise cooking temp to med-low, still whisking frequently, cooking until sauce is thickened and just starting to bubble.

6. Add salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat.

7. Add the cheese one handful at a time, whisking each until smooth before adding the next.

8. Add mustard and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

9. Cook macaroni according to package, drain and pour in a 9X13 baking dish. Pour cheese sauce over macaroni and fold in.

10. Options: Last time I made this I had some left over feta cheese and I folded in crumbled feta, making little feta-cheese-suprises! Or add chopped, cooked ham, for a classic Mom-dish. Be creative with your cheese choices!

11. Top with crushed Ritz crackers and bake in a 375-degree oven until bubbly and the crackers are toasted.