Colorado River of Cheese and Macaroni

Ingredients

• 0.5 pound asiago cheese shredded divided
• 1 cup butter divided room temperature (2 sticks)
• 2 ounces wine dry white
• 2 pounds elbow macaroni 
• 0.5 cup flour all-purpose
• 1 tablespoon ground mustard 
• 0.5 teaspoon nutmeg grated
• 1 teaspoon paprika 
• 0.3 pound parmesan divided grated
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 0.8 teaspoon salt 
• 2 pounds sharp cheddar cheese shredded divided canned (aged no more than 30 days as a longer aged cheese can make your sauce oily)
• 0.5 teaspoon pepper white
• 0.8 teaspoon pepper white
• 2.5 quarts milk whole

Equipment

• bowl
• sauce pan
• oven
• pot
• casserole dish

Directions

1. Bring the Basic Bechamel Sauce to a simmer over low heat.
2. Add the white wine and stir to combine. Stir in the mustard, paprika, and salt and pepper. Gradually add the cheeses, reserving about 1/4 cup of each cheese for the top of the casserole. Stir the sauce thoroughly between each addition of the cheese. Simmer until the cheese is well blended.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
4. Add the elbow macaroni and cook to al dente.
5. Drain.
6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
7. In a large casserole dish (or in numerous smaller dishes) add a 1/2-inch of the warm cheese sauce. Fill the casserole with the drained elbow macaroni. Top with another layer of cheese sauce, covering the macaroni completely and sprinkle with the reserved cheese.
8. Bake the macaroni until the top is brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the casserole dish.
9. Remove from the oven and serve hot.
10. In a small saucepan over low heat, add the onion and 1/2 cup of butter and saute until very soft, but do not brown. In another saucepan, scald the milk. Stir the sauteed onions into the milk along with the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Make a blonde roux by mixing the remaining 1/2 cup butter and the flour in a small bowl.
11. Add the roux to the simmering milk and cook until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.*