Baked Homemade Macaroni

Ingredients:
8 cups noodles (macaroni, shell noodles, rotini, whatever...)

1/2 c. butter (one stick)

1/2 c. flour

2 t. Dijon mustard

2 c. hot water

1/4  t. salt

1-2 t. Nutmeg

4 c. grated cheese

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Frozen Petite Peas (side)

Kielbasa (side)

Olive Oil (~ 2T)

One med-large onion, sliced or diced. (if desired)



Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.

Fill large pot with water about 1/2 full.  Bring to boil.  Add noodles and cook until not quite done... still quite firm (noodles will cook more in oven).  Drain when done and set aside (with lid).

On medium to low heat and in a medium saucepan, melt the stick of butter and then add in the flour with a wisk... blend out the lumps.  Add the dijon mustard.  Add in a small amount of the hot water, whisking it all in the flour/butter mixture until smooth... then add more, and mix until smooth, again. (it's a good idea to take this off the heat when you are doing this part), gradually add all the water, mixing as you go until smooth (this slow method prevents lumps that occur when you dump it all in at once).

Add the nutmeg and salt and then stir in the milk.  Put back on the heat (medium heat) and stir until warm.  Add the grated cheese and stir until melted.

Put cooked noodles into a 9x13 pan and pour cheese mixture over noodles and carefully stir around until evenly distributed.  Smooth out in pan and sprinkle Panko bread crumbs over the whole thing.

Bake in oven at 375 for 25 minutes, or until bread crumbs are golden brown.

Remove from oven.

While noodles are baking, add olive oil to skillet on medium-low and, when warm, add onions and saute for about 4 minutes.  Dice kielbasa and add to onions.  Cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently.  Do not cover.

Boil frozen peas.

Eat and enjoy. :)