panera's stove top mac and cheese.

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Panera's Stove Top Mac and Cheese from Jenni:

Ingredients:
16 oz. pipette pasta or other small pasta shapes
4 T unsalted butter
1/3 cup flour (Use less flour and more cream)
2 1/2 cups milk, heavy cream, or half and half
4 oz white American cheese, chopped or torn into pieces (Didn't even use this because the kind I bought tasted gross)
8 oz extra sharp white Vermont, cheddar, shredded
2 tsp - 1 T Dijon mustard (adjust according to your tastes)
1 tsp Kosher salt (I added a lot more salt and pepper to taste)
1/4 tsp hot sauce (like Frank's)

In a large stockpot, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well.

While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a 4-quart sauce pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and has started to bubble, whisk in the flour; cook for 1 1/2 minutes whisking constantly.

Gradually whisk in the milk until no lumps remain. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook milk mixture, whisking frequently, until it thickens and bubbles, about 8 minutes.

Remove sauce pan from heat and by the handful, stir in the cheeses allowing all of the cheese to melt into the sauce before adding more. Stir in the mustard, salt, and hot sauce.

Return to the sauce pan to the heat and stir in the pasta. Be sure to stir up the sauce from the bottom of the sauce pan and thoroughly coat all of the pasta with sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes over medium-low heat until heated through. Serve hot in bowls with spoons.