Homemade Mac and Cheese - Kasha Granger

4 Tablespoons Butter
1 Tablespoon Salt Kosher Salt
16 oz bag Tinkyada, Brown Rice Pasta 
4 Tablespoons Cornstarch
2 teaspoons Table Salt
1/2 teaspoon Pepper (pure ground)
4 Cups Milk
4 Cups Mild Cheddar, divided

In a sauce pan melt butter over medium heat (level 6-7).

While butter is melting bring 4.5 quarts of water and kosher salt to a boil in a large pot.  Add Tinkyada Noodles and cook for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Drain, do not rinse with water.

While water is coming to a boil make the creamy sauce with the pan of melted butter. 

When the butter has melted completely remove the pan from heat.  Using a spoon, not a whisk, vigorously stir in cornstarch, table salt, and pepper till combined.  It should look smooth.

Gradually stir in milk while constantly stirring.  I stir in 2-4 Tablespoons at a time to combine the cornstarch mixture into a smooth creamy sauce.  After you have added about 1/2 cup of milk return to heat, level 6.  Then keep adding up to 1/4 cup and to slowly incorporate the milk into the sauce.  Keep stirring constantly.  After all the milk is poured keep stirring and every 15 seconds lift spoon out of sauce for a second or two to see if bubbles start to form when not stirring.  When this happens immediately remove from heat.

Gradually add 3 cups of cheese to the sauce, about 1/4 cup at a time, while vigorously stirring to incorporate the cheese.  You have added too much cheese if it strings when you pull the spoon away from the sauce.  

The best way to do this is to cook both the noodles and the sauce at the same time.  The sauce should finish right before it is time to drain the noodles.  

When noodles are drained pour a small amount of cheese sauce into the bottom of your 13x9 baking dish.  Layer half the noodles on top of the cheese sauce and spread a little to fill out pan.  Then pour half the sauce over noodles.  Layer the rest of the noodles on top of the sauce.  Then Pour the the final amount of sauce on top of noodles.  Do not stir noodles and sauce together.  Use a rubber scrapper to get all the sauce out of the pan.  Using the rubber scrapper you can gently push the sauce around to cover the top layer of noodles.  

Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheese on top.

Bake for 5-10 minutes.  The longer you bake the less creamy it will be.  

Note:  Making the recipes smaller is a great way to have this for lunch for fewer people.  Since it is all in quantities of 4 you can do 4 oz, 8 oz, 12 oz, or the whole 16 oz bag of noodles.  Just reduce the other ingredients respectively!