Whenever I use cheddar for mac and cheese (not velveeta) I get a grainy texture to my sauce. Will the cheese powder help eliminate this? Or is it just the way cheddar is? The sauce in your pictures looks silky smooth! Shannon, I'd say the cheddar might be slightly grainier than Velveeta, especially if you use a super-sharp, long-aged, expensive cheddar; that's the nature of that type of cheddar. Also, using natural cheese (as opposed to processed - e.g., Velveeta), if you cook it at too high a temperature or for too long, it can separate a bit, which makes it seem grainy. But I've been making mac and cheese for my son for over 20 years, using the Cabot extra-sharp sticks, and have never noticed that issue. The cheese powder won't eliminate graininess, no - it simply jacks up flavor. And yes, the sauce in this recipe is indeed silky-smooth - PJH

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