Eat Right

Homemade Mac and Cheese Skillet

YIELD:8 SERVINGS PREP:10 MINUTES READY IN: 10 MINUTES

Why we love it

There’s almost no better comfort food than macaroni and cheese. In one pot, you find everything a meal should be. The pasta warms and fills your belly; the cheese is rich and

satisfying. That makes it perfect camping food, since you’ll need minimal gear and will get maximum output through not only the comfort but the carbohydrates provided. Taking care of the prep work, like chopping vegetables and, in this case, perhaps grating cheese, before you leave the house makes mealtime even more of a snap. You can even precook the noodles, mix them with a bit of olive oil to prevent sticking and store them in an airtight container.

What you need

■ 5 tablespoons unsalted butter ■ ½ small yellow onion, diced ■ ½ cup all-purpose flour ■ 6 cups 2% milk ■ 1 ½ cups elbow macaroni ■ 3 cups sharp white cheddar, grated ■ 1 cup Gruyere or Swiss, grated ■ 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard ■ Salt and pepper

Topping

■ 1 tablespoon butter ■ 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs ■ ¼ cup grated Parmesan ■ Sriracha drizzle

What you do

1In a large skillet, melt all the butter. Remove just 1 tablespoon of butter and combine it with breadcrumbs and Parmesan in a separate bowl.

2Add onion to skillet and cook until softened. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

3Very gradually whisk in milk and bring to a simmer. Add macaroni and cook, stirring constantly and scraping bottom of pan, until tender, about 6-8 minutes.

4Remove from heat, stir in cheese and mustard, and season with salt and pepper. Top with breadcrumb mixture and drizzle with Sriracha sauce.

COOK’S NOTE

Cast-iron skillets, while heavy, can be used to cook just about anything and are especially good for campfires. They’re sturdy, hold heat well and cook evenly.