Whether you want a hearty meal or a cheesy, delicious side, it is hard to resist a homemade Macaroni and Cheese. It is the perfect comfort food for every holiday and, honestly, every regular day, too.
Zuleiska (Zee) Walls of Pensacola loves this dish and believes she has perfected the most delicious recipe for this crowd-pleaser.
“I came up with this recipe after trying multiple mac and cheese recipes that were good but were not IT for me,” shared Zee. “So, after years of playing around, I settled on this one. It has now become the mac and cheese of every holiday, from Easter to Christmas and any regular day in between.”
Zee is originally from Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. It was there, at 22 years old, that she met her husband Derek, who was on active duty in the Navy. After just three short months, the two married, and Zee relocated with him to Virginia. After 11 years there, the couple moved to Pensacola and decided to call the Panhandle home. Zee is an avid home improvement and decor DIYer. You can follow some of her impressive projects on Instagram @fromwallstohome.
Together, they have one daughter, Anna (12). As a middle schooler, she enjoys talking with friends, listening to music, and shopping. She also practices fencing.
“I do the majority of the cooking; we try to cook and eat at home as much as possible not only because it is cost-efficient but also because it’s healthier,” Zee shared. “We are very casual and keep things very simple with everyday dinner. We gather around the kitchen island on our barstools to eat and talk.”
The Walls are a family of picky eaters who not only prefer casual at-home meals but also like to keep dinner quick and easy.
“I keep it simple and serve this homemade mac and cheese with a rotisserie or grilled chicken, and sometimes a steak for my husband and a vegetable side here and there,” Zee said.
With a full schedule of Christmas festivities planned, Zee looks forward to the lights and decorations most. She also enjoys the beautifully wrapped presents under the Christmas tree and family gatherings. It is at the family meals around the table where you can find Zee’s Homemade Mac & Cheese.
“It’s an easy recipe with easy-to-find ingredients, available at any store; it goes well with pretty much any meat dish and is usually universally liked by all ages,” Zee said. “It also makes a large amount serving multiple size families and it keeps well in the fridge for left overs. My favorite is serving it with rotisserie chicken on nights that time is working against me.”
Homemade Mac & Cheese
Ingredients:
- 1 (16oz box) Elbow macaroni; cooked
- 1 (16oz box) original Velveeta cheese
- 1/2 stick of butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- *Optional: Ritz Crackers, about half a sleeve
Directions:
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Melt a half stick of butter in a medium sized saucepan on low-medium heat.
- Once butter is melted, whisk in flour a little at a time while stirring.
- Slowly add milk while stirring, and let boil a little until it thickens.
- Add Velveeta and mix in until melted
- Mix with already cooked elbow pasta.
- Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Pour cheesy noodles in baking dish and bake for 25 minutes.
Ritz Cracker Crust: - Crush about half of a sleeve of Ritz crackers in a ziplock bag.
- Melt 2 to 3 tbsp of butter.
- Pour the melted butter in the bag of crushed crackers, mix well and sprinkle over the Mac and cheese before baking.
