Baked Horseradish-Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese

Americans started eating a version of macaroni and cheese in the early 1800s and a formal recipe was printed in the Mary Randolph’s original, 1824 The Virginia House-wife. This first recipe was quite simple: layers of cooked buttered noodles, which were sprinkled with grated cheese and then baked. From that point forward, almost every printed cookbook had a version of macaroni and cheese. It wasn’t until the late 1800s that a cream sauce came into play in recipes and, as far as I can tell, cheese sauce was not introduced until World War I.

There was a period of time when macaroni and cheese bake-offs were held in communities, large and small. All kinds of variations developed as new ingredients were added: a hint of heat with pinch of cayenne, extra-cheesy with layers of grated cheese added to the dish along with the cheese sauce, additional protein with ham or sausage bits, and even some chopped celery and onion for a little flavor.

With the introduction of Kraft’s now famous “blue box” in the 1930s, more and more cooks forgot how to make the homemade dish. And, with women leaving the kitchen for the workplace during World War II, the Kraft macaroni and cheese dinner became the number one seller in the marketplace. Even today’s reduced-fat, reduced-calorie consciousness, the Kraft dinner remains one of the top sellers in the supermarket aisle.

For my recipes, I’ve thrown caution to the wind and heaped on the richness. I figure that we don’t eat homemade macaroni and cheese every day, so we might as well enjoy it as its best.

This is my classic macaroni and cheese with just a bit of a bite from the horseradish to offset the richness. It is, as it has always been, easy to put together. My mom used to do it early in the morning and then throw casserole in the oven just as we began asking, “When’s dinner?” I can still remember the browning cheesy smell that would fill the house.

3 tbsps melted unsalted butter

1/2 lb dried elbow macaroni

1 cup milk

2 large eggs, beaten

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 lb horseradish Cheddar cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 350°. Using 2 tablespoons of the melted butter, lightly coat a 6-quart casserole. Set aside.

Cook the macaroni according to the package directions. Drain it well and pour into a mixing bowl. Add the remaining butter and toss to coat.

Mix the milk, eggs, and nutmeg with salt and pepper in a medium mixing bowl. Add half of the cheese and stir to combine.

Spoon half of the buttered macaroni into the prepared casserole. Pour one half of the milk mixture over the macaroni and toss to combine. Sprinkle half of the remaining cheese over macaroni. Combine the remaining macaroni with the remaining milk mixture. When well combined, pour it into the casserole. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Place in the preheated oven and bake it for 35 minutes, or until the top is crusty and golden brown and the edges are bubbling. Remove it from the oven and serve, family style.