Baked Honey Mustard Mac and Cheese

My husband came up with this idea.  I adapted a cheesy sauce recipe I had already been using to incorporate his idea.  I must say, it's tasty and a nice change up on mac n cheese!

Baked Honey Mustard Mac and Cheese

8 ounces macaroni, rigatoni, or other favorite pasta shape (I used Tinkyada GF)
3 Tablespoons olive oil
3 Tablespoons flour
2-1/2 cups milk
8 ounces Velveeta (or you can use 2 cups shredded cheddar or any other cheese you like)
2 Tablespoons mustard *
2 teaspoons honey
pinch of nutmeg
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 Tablespoons olive oil or butter, melted

Cook pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking make your cheese sauce.  Add oil and flour to pan.  Heat and cook for a minute.  Add in milk, bit by bit, whisking as you go until the sauce has thickened. Stir in cheese until melted.  Add in honey, mustard, and nutmeg.  Taste it, you want just a hint of the mustard coming through but not so much it overwhelms. Pour into drained pasta.

Stir to coat the pasta. Dump into 1-1/2 quart baking dish.

Mix panko and olive oil or butter together.  Top the pasta mixture   Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until top is nice and brown** and the macaroni and cheese is bubbling.

*I used my homemade which is fluffy and full of air.  If you purchase a dijon mustard for this you will want to use less!

**I made my dish with plain panko.  It was OK but the addition of a fat will make it brown nicer and have a better flavor.