Golden Baked Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

• 8 oz elbow macaroni
• 5 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups milk
• 2 cups shredded gruyere cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp mustard powder

Steps

1. 1Heat the oven to 350°F. Boil the macaroni one minute short of the package time, drain it, and toss with 1 tablespoon of the butter so it doesn't clump while it cools.
2. 2Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and stir it into the panko with a pinch of salt. Set the topping aside.
3. 3Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and let it cook for a minute so the raw taste disappears.
4. 4Pour in the warm milk a splash at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition. Season with the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and mustard powder, then simmer 5 to 8 minutes, stirring, until the sauce coats a spoon.
5. 5Take the pan off the heat and stir in both cheeses until they melt into the sauce.
6. 6Fold the pasta into the cheese sauce and pour it all into a baking dish. Scatter the buttered panko evenly over the top.
7. 7Bake about 25 minutes, until the top is deep golden and the edges bubble. Let it sit 5 minutes before scooping.