Creamy and Crunchy Macaroni and Cheese

I was just improvising for dinner tonight, but this creamy and crunchy mac and cheese recipe turned out really well. It's not super cheesy, but it has a smooth flavorful sauce and a simple crunchy topping.

Stay away from packaged grated cheese and grate it by hand...the cheese will melt so much more smoothly.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Macaroni
• 3 Tablespoons Butter
• 1/8 cup All-purpose Flour
• 1/4 cup Milk
• 1/4 cup Heavy Cream
• 3/4 cup Chicken Broth
• 1 Egg Yolk, Beaten
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1 ½ cups Grated Cheese (I used a mix of white NY sharp cheddar, swiss and fontina)
• 1/4 cup Panko Breadcrumbs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Boil a pot of water and cook macaroni for half the time of the package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Wipe the pot clean and return to the stove. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat for 1 minute.

Pour in the milk, cream and chicken broth, then cook for about 5 minutes or until thick. Reduce heat to low. Add garlic and onion powder and salt and pepper to taste. (I added about eight turns of the pepper grinder.)

Beat the egg yolk and drizzle 1/8 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg, stirring constantly. Stir to combine. Pour egg mixture back into sauce and cook for another minute.

Add the cheese one handful at a time and stir until melted. Add cooked macaroni and stir to coat.

Pour into a baking dish and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn on the broiler and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Let cool for a couple minutes before serving.