Mac n Cheese

jnk062602 · August 2011

Anyone have a good recipe for making it (not out of the box)? I usually just make the wegmans brand boxed mac n cheese bc it is our favorite as far as boxed mac n cheese goes. But I am going to have it as part of dd's birthday menu so I want to make it not from the box haha. And I was looking at buying it from Wegmans already made, but honestly I don't really like theirs and since I tend to over-buy food for parties, I know I will be eating it for a while after the party too.

octoberbridesrule · August 2011

I love this recipe from Rachel Ray:

Macaroni and Cheddar Cheese

Serves 4

Tags: sides dinner lunch cheese pasta 30 Minute Meals broil saut? boil mac and cheese

Submitted by

Rachael Ray

on 09/06/07

This recipe sure beats boxed mac 'n cheese! As a side dish, it serves eight people.

My mac and cheese gets extra richness from the milk, flour and butter sauce I make, also known as b?chamel sauce. ?RR

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Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil or extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups whole or 2 percent milk
3 cups white cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground or freshly grated
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, a couple pinches
Salt
1 pound elbow macaroni, cooked 8 minutes or to al dente, with a little bite to it

Preparation

Pre-heat broiler.

Heat a medium, deep skillet over medium heat. Add oil and butter, about one turn of the pan. When the butter melts into the oil, add flour and combine. Gently cook, whisking flour and butter together, until smooth and flour has had a chance to cook, about three minutes.

Slowly add milk while continuing to whisk. Gently bring milk to a bubble while stirring frequently. Allow the milk to thicken a bit, then stir in two cups of shredded cheddar cheese a handful at a time.

Season sauce with nutmeg and cayenne pepper. Taste and add a little salt, if you like. Add cooked pasta to sauce and coat completely by turning over and over in the cheese sauce.

Transfer to a baking dish and top with remaining cheese. Place baking dish under a hot broiler and brown the cheddar cheese on top.

NikCole · August 2011

I have seriously tried at least a dozen homemade mac & cheese recipes, none of them "wowed" me. Until I tried The Pioneer Woman recipe... it's my "go-to" recipe. I always add a small brick of Velveeta (cut it up in small cubes, and mix it in so it all melts while it bakes) Another tip, do NOT buy pre-shredded cheese, buy the brick and grate it yourself. The shredded stuff is coated w/ a cornstarch/flour substance (to prevent clumping) so it doesn't melt right, and will give the mac and cheese a weird, dry texture.

I know Velveeta is kinda gross, and super processed junk... but it makes the mac & cheese soooo creamy, I love it! It's one of my guilty pleasures... I could eat a whole brick melted mixed w/ some salsa (along w/ an entire bag of tortilla chips!)

BitsyKelly · August 2011

We use this one:

https://www.food.com/recipe/alton-browns-baked-macaroni-and-cheese-107712

olivia_eve · August 2011

We use Kelly's Alton Brown recipe too, but I don't put it in the onion or egg. The bay leaf adds so much to it!

Read2Me · August 2011

I use the Pioneer Woman recipe too- so good! And definitely shred your own cheese. I made a double batch of it for Eva's birthday party and it was a huge hit!

wendyj · August 2011

This is my absolute favorite. It doesn't even separate when you reheat it in the microwave! From Cooks Illustrated. I don't do the bread crumb topping or put in the cayenne powder.

Serves 6 to 8, or 10 to 12 as a side

It's crucial to cook the pasta until tender--just past the "al dente" stage. In fact, overcooking is better than undercooking the pasta. Whole, low-fat, and skim milk all work well in this recipe. The recipe can be halved and baked in an 8-inch-square, broilersafe baking dish. If desired, offer celery salt or hot sauce (such as Tabasco) for sprinkling at the table.

Ingredients

Bread Crumb Topping
6slices white sandwich bread (good-quality, about 6 ounces), torn into rough pieces
3tablespoons unsalted butter (cold), cut into 6 pieces
Pasta and Cheese
1pound elbow macaroni
1tablespoon table salt
5tablespoons unsalted butter
6tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2teaspoons powdered mustard
1/4teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
5cups milk (see note)
8ounces Monterey Jack cheese , shredded (2 cups)
8ounces sharp cheddar cheese , shredded (2 cups)
1teaspoon table salt

Instructions

1. For the bread crumbs: Pulse bread and butter in food processor until crumbs are no larger than 1/8 inch, ten to fifteen 1-second pulses. Set aside.
2. For the pasta and cheese: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat broiler. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven over high heat. Add macaroni and 1 tablespoon salt; cook until pasta is tender. Drain pasta and set aside in colander.
3. In now-empty Dutch oven, heat butter over medium-high heat until foaming. Add flour, mustard, and cayenne (if using) and whisk well to combine. Continue whisking until mixture becomes fragrant and deepens in color, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk; bring mixture to boil, whisking constantly (mixture must reach full boil to fully thicken). Reduce heat to medium and simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened to consistency of heavy cream, about 5 minutes. Off heat, whisk in cheeses and 1 teaspoon salt until cheeses are fully melted. Add pasta and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is steaming and heated through, about 6 minutes.
4. Transfer mixture to broiler-safe 9-by 13-inch baking dish and sprinkle evenly with bread crumbs. Broil until crumbs are deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes, rotating pan if necessary for even browning. Cool about 5 minutes, then serve.

sunnygirl05 · August 2011

I really like Alton Brown's stovetop recipe....it's a creamier mac-n-cheese if you like that. I've also made Paula Dean's. Hers is a baked recipe but not as creamy.

MelissaSue81 · August 2011

I wonder if Panera caters their mac and cheese. it is gooooood.

jnk062602 · August 2011

MelissaSue81:
I wonder if Panera caters their mac and cheese. it is gooooood.

Ya they do, but sooo much money. I know that you can buy the big containers of them to go. They are supposed to feed 4 people, but it only fed me....uhh me and the unborn baby.

BethPSU · August 2011

For an easy mac n cheese with some kick I love Mr.Food's Spicy Mac n Cheese. My kids absolutely LOVE it.

1 (8-ounce) package elbow macaroni4 cups (16 ounces) shredded Mexican blend1 ¹/2 cups milk2 eggs¹/4 teaspoon black pepper1 (4-1/2 ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained1 cup coarsely crushed corn chipsInstructionsPreheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Coat a 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Cook the macaroni according to the package directions; drain and place in a large bowl.
Add the remaining ingredients except the corn chips; mix well then pour into the casserole dish and sprinkle with the corn chips.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until hot and bubbly, and the top is golden.

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Mac n Cheese

Re: Mac n Cheese

Macaroni and Cheddar Cheese

Ingredients

Preparation

This is my absolute favorite. It doesn't even separate when you reheat it in the microwave! From Cooks Illustrated. I don't do the bread crumb topping or put in the cayenne powder.

Serves 6 to 8, or 10 to 12 as a side

Ingredients

Instructions

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