The Best Macaroni and Cheese

Toasted Bread Crumbs
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh bread crumbs from french or Italian bread
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter

Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients:
Salt
1/2 pound elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
2 large eggs
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk, heated to warm
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce (I use Louisiana Crystal Sauce)
Ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard, dissolved in 1 teaspoon water
10-12 oz (3 cups) mild cheddar, American or Monterey Jack cheese

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F and set a 1 1/2-quart heatproof dish, such as a souffle pan, in the oven to warm.
2. Bread Crumbs: Mix bread crumb ingredients together in a small baking pan; set aside.
3. Macaroni: Bring 2 quarts water to a boil in a large soup kettle. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and macaroni; cook until almost tender, but still a little firm to the bite. Drain and transfer to preheated dish and stir in butter to melt.
4. Meanwhile, mix eggs, 1 cup evaporated milk, pepper sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and mustard mixture in a small bowl.
5. Pour egg mixture over noodles along with three-fourths of cheese; stir until thoroughly combined and cheese starts to melt.
6. Place bread crumbs in oven to toast until golden brown, 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Place pan of macaroni and cheese in oven too and bake for 5 minutes. Remove pan from oven; thoroughly stir macaroni mixture, adding a little remaining milk and cheese. Return to oven and cook 5 minutes longer. remove macaroni pan from oven and stir thoroughly so that macaroni and cheese cooks evenly, adding additional cheese and milk of mixture does not look moist and creamy. Return to oven for a total of 20 minutes, removing pan from oven once more to stir in remaining milk and cheese. Serve immediately, sprinkled with bread crumbs.

Recipe courtesy of Pam Anderson -The Perfect Recipe-