kid tested

so i'm a mac & cheese connoisseur. i've ordered it many a time at restaurants. i have yet to come across anything better than my grandma's (minus the icky spam she put in there... i know, gross). i'll post that one later. i like this recipe because it uses broccoli and anytime you can sneak those veggies in there is a positive in my eye.
my friend macie mae indulged in this dish and i thought it was important to mention that she approved. she called the noodles "nu nus". she was a bit confused about the broccoli as this was the first time she tried it!

mac & cheese with broccoli

2 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1 lb cavatappi
2 1/2 c broccoli florets
3 tbs butter
3 tbs flour
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp paprika
3 c milk
1 c chicken stock
3 c sharp cheddar
1 tbs dijon mustard

1. heat a medium pan over medium to medium-high heat. add olive oil and onion and cook 5 to 7 minutes until onions are tender. add butter and melt, then add flour, cayenne and paprika and whisk together over heat until roux bubbles then cook a minute more. whisk in milk and stock and raise heat to bring the sauce to a quick boil. simmer until the sauce thickens about 5 minutes.

2. add pasta to boiling water and cook 5 minutes, then add broccoli and cook 3 minutes more or until pasta is cooked to al dente and florets are just tender.

3. add cheese to milk sauce and stir to melt it in, a minute or so. stir in mustard and seaason sauce with salt and pepper. pour sauce over broccoli and cooked pasta and stir to combine.

4. bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

adapted from rachel ray