Million Dollar Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients

• Topping
• 2 tablespoons Land O Lakes® Butter
• 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions
• Macaroni and Cheese
• 1/2 cup Land O Lakes® Butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 quart Land O Lakes® Half & Half
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 pound uncooked dried elbow macaroni
• 2 (8-ounce) bags Land O Lakes® Gouda & Havarti Cheese Cubes

Instructions

1. 1

   Position oven rack in lower third of oven; heat broiler.

2. 2

   Melt 2 tablespoons butter in small microwave-safe bowl. Add panko and green onions; stir to combine. Set aside.

3. 3

   Melt 1/2 cup butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; stir well. Cook 2 minutes or until mixture is light golden brown. Gradually whisk in half & half to prevent lumps. Add bay leaves, garlic and thyme. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens and just begins to bubble around edge. Remove from heat; remove and discard bay leaves, garlic cloves and thyme. Season with salt and smoked paprika.

4. 4

   Meanwhile, cook macaroni to al dente in salted water according to package directions; drain. Return to pot. Pour sauce over cooked noodles; stir to combine. Add cheese cubes; stir to distribute cheese. (It’s okay if cheese doesn’t melt yet; the cubes will create big gooey pockets of cheese later on.) Transfer to 13x9-inch baking dish. Top evenly with panko mixture. Broil 5 minutes or until panko is golden brown.