mac and cheese — HOME — This Photographer's Life

For Beacham & Company's Thanksgiving this year I decided to make Mac and Cheese. That was my favorite thing my grandmother Ada made, and I loved how she would burn the noodles on top to make it extra crispy. I do not have her exact recipe, but this one from Mary Mac's Tea Room (Atlanta's most famous soul food restaurant), looked mighty close. It had fantastic flavor! I used large elbow noodles just to make it a little different, and I loved the end result. The recipe came from Mary Mac's Cookbook, which I think is fantastic!

Mary Mac's Mac and Cheese

Serves 4-6
Preheat oven to 350
Active time 20 min, Total time 60 min
From the book Mary Mac's Tea Room

3 large eggs
2 Cups evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 pound elbow macaroni, cooked according to package directions and drained
2 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Preheat the oven to 350.
Butter an 8x8 inch baking dish.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until light yellow.
Add the evaporated milk, salt, white pepper, sugar, melted butter, and hot sauce.
Layer half the macaroni, half the milk mixture, and half of the cheese in the baking dish.
Repeat the procedure, ending with the cheese.
Sprinkle the paprika over the cheese.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until set.