Macaroni & Cheese-Its

Yup... that's right. You read the title of this blog correctly... Mac-n-Cheese-It's.
So, you know how some chefs/cooks top their mac-n-cheese with either bread crumbs or parmesean cheese to add a little texture to this comfort food, well, I decided (after seeing something similar on Dinner, Dives and Drive-Ins) to top my dish with this kid-friendly treat.

Not only does it add a crunch, but it adds more (*cough*) artifical cheese flavor to the dish. (ahem).

RECIPE:
1/2 lb elbow macaroni
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
1 tbsp powdered mustard
3 c milk
1/2 c yellow onion, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 large egg
12 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tsp salt
pepper
3 tbsp butter
1 c Cheese-It crackers

Preheat oven to 350.
Cook macaroni, in large pot of water, until al dente (6-8 minutes).
Melt butter in small pot, whisk in flour and mustard for 5 minutes, whisking constantly. Stir in milk, onion, bay leaf and paprika. Simmer for around 10 minutes (careful, don't burn mixture). Temper in the egg then add the cheese to the mixture. Drain pasta and place into a casserole dish. Pour cheese mixture over the top of pasta and be sure and coat all of the macaroni.
Melt remaining butter in a saute pan and add Cheese-Its to coat. Add crackers to the top of the casserole and bake for 30 minutes.
Let dish rest for 5 minutes before serving.