serves 8

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

salt

1 pound macaroni

3/4 cup Hot Sauce (I use Frank’s)

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

2 teaspoons dry mustard

2 1/2 cups half and half

1 pound 2% sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

8 ounces monterey jack cheese, shredded

2/3 cup low fat sour cream

1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles (optional)

*You could also add 3 cups of shredded chicken mixed with 1/4 cup hot sauce.  Mix into the cheese sauce before pouring over macaroni. First make sure you have plenty of this:

Then preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a large casserole dish (9×13 is recommended). Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook macaroni until al dente. Drain.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and mustard and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the half and half, and the hot sauce. Stir until thick, about 2 minutes. Add the cheeses and whisk in the sour cream. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat. Make sure your wine is within arms reach at all times.

Spread macaroni in the baking dish. Pour the cheese sauce evenly over the top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the microwave. Stir in the panko and the blue cheese if using. Sprinkle over top of macaroni.

Bake until bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. I baked mine a little longer to get a crispy crust on top of the macoroni.