Cheeseburger Macaroni

Ok, so it's obvious I enjoy pasta, and it's obvious I enjoy macaroni and cheese. My husband enjoys all of that too, but I needed something a smidge different. So...I added meat. Sweetness, right? Oh yeah. Cheeseburger macaroni, all homemade, none of that from a box stuff. Ick. I know, I know...I'm a food snob now cause I don't like boxed dinners. Meh. I can live with that. ;) This was so good. It made a ton, and I ate it for like 4 days straight from the leftovers. Me...eating something for 4 days straight at all, not to mention that it was leftovers, is nothing short of a miracle, so I guess I liked it. Haha. I hope you do too.

Ingredients:
-elbow macaroni- 1 lb
-ground beef- 1 lb
-4 cups grated cheese, 1 cup reserved for the top (I used colby jack, but use whatever you like)
-1.5 cups heavy cream
-1 cup 2% milk
-3 tablespoons butter
-2 tablespoons flour
-1 egg
-salt and pepper to taste
-1.5 tablespoons mustard
-3/4 cup plain tomato sauce (you could probably use ketchup, but to me, ketchup is a little too vinegary or something)

Directions:
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the macaroni until just underdone. It will cook more in the oven. Drain and set aside.

In a large pot over medium high heat, cook the ground beef until no longer pink. Drain the meat and return it to the pot. Add the mustard and tomato sauce, and stir until it's mixed in well with the meat. Set aside.

In a sauce pan over medium low heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour until well combined. Continue cooking another few minutes, stirring frequently. Add the cream and milk, and whisk frequently until the flour mixture is combined well and the sauce begins to thicken. Beat an egg in a separate bowl. Temper the egg by adding a few tablespoons of the sauce to the egg. Whisk it together until well mixed. Add the egg mixture slowly back into the sauce pan, incorporating the egg well in the mixture. Add the cheese and let the sauce melt it, stirring frequently. When the cheese is all melted and the sauce is well combined, add the salt and pepper. I probably used about a teaspoon of salt and a half teaspoon of pepper.

In a large baking dish (I used a 9 x 13 glass dish), pour the macaroni, meat, and cheese sauce. Stir it all together so everything is nicely incorporated.
Sprinkle the reserved cheese over the top so there's a nice layer. Bake it in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes, until everything is melted and bubbly and hot and delicious.
Serve immediately. Mmmmm.