Old-Fashioned Macaroni and Cheese

              nonstick cooking spray

½           pound elbow macaroni

1            teaspoon olive oil

¼           cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter

3            tablespoons unbleached, all-purpose flour

3            cups whole milk

2            cups (about 6 ounces) shredded cheese (we use a variety of Cheddar, Gruyère and Monterey Jack for ultimate creaminess and flavor)

¾           teaspoon kosher salt

¼           teaspoon ground mustard

             pinch ground nutmeg

              dash hot sauce

1½        cups prepared white-bread croutons, divided

1. Lightly coat a 9-inch square or round baking pan with cooking spray; reserve.

2.  Cook macaroni according to the package instructions.  Drain pasta and rinse under cold water.  Toss with the olive oil to prevent sticking; reserve.

3.  Put the butter into a medium saucepan set over medium heat .  Once melted, stir in the flour until smooth.  Continue to cook, constantly stirring, for about 2 minutes to cook the flour.  While whisking, slowly add the milk to the butter/flour mixture.  Raise the heat slightly to bring the milk to a boil, while stirring. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, stirring so a film does not form on the bottom of the pot.  Cook until the sauce becomes very thick, about 30 to 45 minutes. Once thickened, stir in the shredded cheeses until sauce is smooth. Add the salt, ground mustard, nutmeg, hot sauce and then the macaroni, stirring to combine.  Finally, stir in 1 cup of the croutons, and remove from heat.

4.  Preheat oven on Bake at 350°F with the rack in the lower position.

5.  Pour the macaroni and cheese into the prepared pan. Scatter the remaining ½ cup of croutons on the top and loosely cover with aluminum foil.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Carefully remove the foil and switch the oven to Broil for an additional 5 minutes to brown the top.