This baked macaroni and cheese takes a distinctive route to a creamy sauce: peppered country-style gravy mix thickens the milk before four cheeses melt into it. Whole-wheat macaroni, a little nutmeg, and buttered bread crumbs complete this hearty casserole.

Prep: About 20 minutes | Cook: About 40 minutes | Total: About 1 hour | Servings: About 8 | Difficulty: Moderate (3 of 5) | Cost: Moderate (3 of 5) | Region: American

Ingredients

• 4 cups dry whole-wheat elbow macaroni
• 1 cup cool water
• 2/3 cup Morrison’s Country Style Peppered Gravy Mix, or the same measure of a comparable peppered country-gravy mix
• 4 cups milk
• 1 1/4 cups grated Colby cheese
• 1 cup grated mild cheddar cheese
• 1 1/4 cups grated mozzarella cheese
• 1 1/4 cups grated American cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon yellow food coloring, optional
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg
• Ground white pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup toasted plain breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
2. Cook the dry macaroni in salted boiling water according to its package directions until just under al dente. Drain well and set aside.
3. In a separate large saucepan, whisk the peppered gravy mix into 1 cup cool water until smooth. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps.
4. Cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, until the sauce thickens and is steaming hot. Follow any specific preparation instructions printed on the gravy-mix package for safe cooking of its starches and seasonings.
5. Reduce the heat to low. Gradually stir in the Colby, cheddar, mozzarella, and American cheeses until melted and smooth. Add the optional food coloring, nutmeg, and a little white pepper. Taste before adding more seasoning because packaged gravy mix and cheeses may already contain salt.
6. Fold the drained macaroni into the cheese sauce. Pour into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
7. Mix the toasted breadcrumbs with the melted butter and sprinkle over the macaroni.
8. Bake uncovered for about 25–30 minutes, until hot and bubbling at the edges and the crumbs are lightly browned. If the top darkens early, loosely tent with foil. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Cook’s notes

• The peppered gravy mix is the distinguishing ingredient in this recipe. Different brands vary in salt and thickening power; adjust the sauce consistency with a little additional milk if necessary.
• The original whole-wheat macaroni gives a slightly nuttier flavor, but ordinary elbow macaroni can be substituted.
• Food coloring is optional and affects appearance, not flavor.
• Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers and reheat until hot throughout.