Step 1

Boil 1 pound of Elbow Macaroni noodles until just finished (al dente). Drain pasta water.

Step 2

Preheat oven to 425.

Step 3

Grease a 9x13x2 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and place cooked and drained macaroni noodles and 2 tablespoons butter (on top of noodles) in the baking casserole dish.

Step 4

Mix macaroni well until butter is melted. Set dish aside and keep warm.

Step 5

In a large skillet, combine 5 tablespoons of butter, minced garlic, and all-purpose flour. Whisk over medium heat until butter is melted and mixture is thick- this happens fairly quickly.

Step 6

Add half and half and heavy whipping cream and continue to heat until nearly boiling.

Step 7

Remove skillet from heat and stir in 4 cups shredded cheese blend, 2 cups mild cheddar, and all seasonings and spices. It is helpful to melt about 1 cup at a time versus dumping it all in at once.

Step 8

Continue stirring until all cheese is melted.

Step 9

Once the cheese is completely melted, pour the cheese mixture to the macaroni noodles and stir well to evenly distribute and coat. A spatula can be of assistance in moving the noodles around for a more even distribution of cheese.

Step 10

Top macaroni and cheese with remaining 1 cup mild cheddar, white cheddar and mozzarella cheese, doing best to cover the entire top of the noodles.

Step 11

Bake macaroni at 425 for 15 minutes in the oven

Step 12

Broil top for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is browned on top (optional but please be careful when broiling, burning happens quickly, and not all ovens heat at the same rate).

Step 13

Top dish with chopped fresh parsley before serving if desired. Serve immediately while still hot.