Macaroni & Cheese (2)

I made mac and cheese for lunch today and I think it might be the best I've ever made it!  I started with the same recipe as the previous post.  Here is the previous recipe:

1lb macaroni
1 stick butter
1/2c flour
salt & pepper
1qt milk (whole milk really makes it richer, but skim is also good!)
1 1/2lbs Velveeta

Boil the macaroni according to the package directions. Melt the butter then add the flour to make a roux. I add the salt and pepper here. Cook the flour for just a minute then add the milk. I usually add about 1 c of the milk and wisk it with the flour. If you add it all at once, it's hard to get the roux to mix in without being lumpy. Heat the sauce until it's almost boiling - you dont' want it to actually boil, though. When there are bubbles forming on the outside, it's probably hot enough. Add the Velveeta and stir until it melts. Mix in the macaroni and bake at 325 for 45 minutes. You can also put this in the crockpot and just put on low. For lunch sometimes, I mix in peas, carrots, and corn.
 
Here is what I changed:  I warmed the milk first and infused it with a bundle of thyme leaves, 2 smashed cloves of garlic, and a tablespoon of black peppercorns.  I let it warm (not really even at a simmer because I didn't want to scald the milk), then strained it before adding it to the roux.  The other change I made was the cheeses.  I used 1c (a big handful) of cheddar, 1c fontina, 1c smoked gouda, and about 4 inches of Velveeta.  I added a pound of hamburger too.  YUMMY!!!!