Gus Gauch's Macaroni and Cheese

Gus Gauch was a farmer and one of the two best fly fishermen on the Namakagon River when I was a child. One of the many things Gus taught me was his recipe for macaroni and cheese. It is extremely simple and easy to make, has no trans fats and is just plain delicious.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups uncooked macaroni
4 - 5 T butter
8 ounces medium cheddar cheese
1 cup bread crumbs.
Salt and pepper to taste

PROCEDURE:

Bring 2 quarts of water to boiling. Turn on the oven and set the thermostat to 300 degrees.

While the water is heating, shred the cheese and set it aside. When the water reaches a full boil, stir in the macaroni and cook 10 to 12 minutes; I always add salt to the boiling water, but suit yourself. Drain but do not rinse so the pasta will be hot when you assemble the dish.

While the macaroni is cooking, crush 3 or 4 slices of dry bread (hot dog or hamburger buns you have dried in the oven work very well also) to make about 1 cup of bread crumbs. Do not try to turn the crumbs into a powder. Leave some pieces 1/4" in diameter or so to provide a little variety in appearance. Melt 4 T of butter in a small frying pan on low heat. When the butter is melted, add the bread crumbs and toast slightly stirring with a fork until the crumbs are mixed with the butter. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. If the crumbs seem too dry, add a little more butter.

Butter an 8" soufflé dish or some other oven proof glass baking dish. Put a thin layer (about 3/4") of macaroni in the dish, sprinkle about 1/3 of the cheese evenly over the macaroni. Repeat with two more layers. Spread bread crumbs over the top and put the uncovered dish in the hot oven. Heat about 15 minutes until the cheese is melted.

And that's it!

NOTE: You can use mild or sharp cheddar cheese for a different flavor. And if you want to be fancy, grate an extra tablespoon of cheese on top of the crumbs.