BAKED MAC & CHEESE

BAKED MAC & CHEESE cooking spray 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni 1/2 cup butter 2 (12 ounce) cans evaporated milk 1 tablespoon ground black pepper 3 eggs 1 teaspoon salt 4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese 1 pinch paprika, or to taste (optional) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray. Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a boil. Stir in the macaroni and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until it has cooked through but is still slightly firm, about 8 minutes; drain. Slowly melt butter in a large pot over low heat. Stir in evaporated milk and black pepper; cook until heated through. Whisk eggs in a bowl until smooth; whisk about 1/2 cup of the evaporated milk mixture into the eggs, 1 tablespoon at a time, until thoroughly incorporated. Whisk the egg mixture back into the saucepan with evaporated milk mixture. Continue to heat gently, whisking constantly, until the evaporated milk mixture almost comes to a simmer and the sauce thickens. Gently mix salt and cooked macaroni into the sauce and stir to combine. Spoon 1/4 of the macaroni mixture in a layer into the bottom of the prepared casserole dish and top with 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese. Repeat layers three more times; top last cheese layer with paprika to taste. Bake in the preheated oven until casserole is bubbling, about 20 minutes.