BONNIE'S WESTERN MACARONI AND CHEESE

BONNIE'S WESTERN MACARONI AND CHEESE image

Provided by BonniE !

Time 30m

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 12 ounce box rotini pasta, regular or gluten free
16 ounces original vleveeta cheese
8 ounces vermont extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon dry turmeric

Steps:

1. Boil the pasta until al dente or to your taste.
2. Don't overcook.
3. Melt the 16 ounces of cubed Velveeta cheese and the 2/3 cup of milk. I don't have a double boiler, so I use one pot inside the other and fill the bottom pot with about 2 inches of water. Whisk the mixture until it melts.
4. Then add the 8 ounces of Vermont White Cheddar Extra Sharp grated cheese.
5. Whisk it into the mixture.
6. Add the seasonings: 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper, 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard, 1/8 teaspoon turmeric. Stir.
7. When the pasta is done, drain it well. Return the pasta to the hot pot.
8. Add the one tablespoon of oil to the hot drained pasta and one teaspoon of salt. Toss until the pasta is covered with the oil.
9. Pour the hot cheese sauce over the hot pasta, and gently combine it. Some people like all of the sauce. Until you find out what you like, add the sauce slowly and taste as you go. I pull back just a little and reserve about a half cup or more of the sauce to use over steamed vegetables later.
10. Serve the pasta in a pretty dish.
11. Add some parsley for garnish, if you wish.
12. Here's a closeup.
13. Sometimes, I like a topping. You can take 1/2 cup of panko bread crumbs, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and mix it well with your fingers, then sprinkle the mixture on top of the cheese dish and broil under the broiler until it is brown, just takes a few minutes.