Dairy Free Gluten Free Baked Mac & Cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.

2. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a small bowl. Mix in the bread crumbs, and set aside.

3. Cook the pasta according to package directions.

4. While pasta is cooking, in a high speed blender, blend all of the cheese sauce ingredients until smooth, only adding as much water as needed for blending. Taste and adjust seasonings. It should taste just like melted, mild cheddar cheese.

5. When pasta is finished cooking, drain and leave the macaroni in the strainer. Set aside.

6. Use the same large pot and wipe it dry. At this point, gather the rest of your ingredients, because it starts to go fast. Turn heat down to medium and add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter to melt. Stir in the garlic and ground mustard. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds or so.

7. Add the milk and 1/2 cup of the chicken broth. Bring to boil. While it’s coming to a boil, combine the arrowroot flour and the remaining chicken broth in a small bowl and mix together well.

8. Once it reaches a boil, add the arrowroot mixture and stir until thickened, about 1 minute.

9. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese sauce. Stir until completely incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the macaroni until well combined.

10. Pour into a greased 7 x 11 in baking dish. Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly over the top. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.