  Cheesy Mac  Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 55 minutes Makes: 6 to 8 Servings Ingredients: 4 cups cooked elbow macaroni, drained 2 cups grated cheddar cheese 3 eggs, beaten 1/2 cup sour cream 4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup milk Preparation: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Once you have the macaroni cooked and drained, place in a large bowl and while still hot and add the cheddar. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and add to the macaroni mixture. Pour macaroni mixture into a casserole dish and bake for 30 to 45 minutes. Top with additional cheese if desired.
Easy Version Mac & Cheese  (Makes: 6 Main Dish & 8 to 10 Side Dish Servings) Ingredients: 1 16-ounce box ready cut macaroni 3 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons flour 3 cups milk Salt and pepper 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese 8 ounces Velveeta, sliced or cut into cubes Preparation: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and return to the pot. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and bring to a simmer. Cook over medium to medium-low for 10 minutes, until thickened slightly. Season with salt and pepper. (Taste white sauce for seasonings. It should be well seasoned.) Add the white sauce to the pasta and toss, coating well. Pour half of the pasta into a 3-quart casserole dish that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle with half of the shredded cheddar cheese and layer with half of the Velveeta. Repeat layers, cover and bake 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake 15 minutes longer. Let stand 5 minutes, then toss to distribute cheese. *Skim milk may be used. **Hand shredded cheese is preferred over pre-shredded cheese.
Ina Garten's Mac & Cheese This easy, tasty dish is a huge hit at any dinner. The gruyere cheese with the sharp chedder is a fantastic combo, and the perfectly roasted tomatoes are critic to this dish. The buttery bread crumb topping is a must and gives it a crispy texture. When making the sauce add a hit of white vermouth or a dry white wine for extra flavor. A sprinkle of parmesan and pine nuts are a must to make an already fantastic dish a fantabulous dish! Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 35 minutes Makes: 6 to 8 Servings Ingredients: Vegetable oil Kosher salt 1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi (see Note) 1 quart milk 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 12 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (4 cups) 8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar, grated (2 cups) 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg 3/4 pound fresh tomatoes (4 small) 1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed) Preparation: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish. Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top. Note: To make ahead, put the macaroni and cheese in the baking dish, cover, and refrigerate until ready to bake. Put the tomatoes and bread crumbs on top and bake for about 40 to 50 minutes.
Mac & Cheese With A Twist This recipe makes an old favorite even better! Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 40 minutes Makes: 6 Servings Ingredients: 18 pieces extra-large shell pasta 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup tasso ham, procuiotto, pancetta or bacon 5 large shallots, minced 1 clove garlic, mined 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 cup white wine 2 cups cream 1 cup grated fontina 1/2 cup grated sharp Cheddar 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan 18 medium to large shrimp, peeled and deveined 2 cups gently packed spinach Kosher salt and ground white pepper Hot pepper sauce, to taste (recommended: Tabasco) 1/2 cup bread crumbs 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley leaves Preparation: Preheat broiler. Bring a large post of water to a rolling boil, add pasta shells and cook al dente, according to package instructions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, add the olive oil and tasso or bacon, cook until just crisp, then add shallots and garlic. Cook and stir over moderate heat just until shallots are translucent. Add the flour, cook stirring constantly to blend and toast the flour, about 5 minutes. Add the white wine, reduce until almost dry. Add the cream, bring to a simmer until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheeses, shrimp and spinach. Gently stir until cheese is melted, spinach is wilted and shrimp is beginning to turn pink. Season with salt and white pepper, to taste. Season with hot sauce, to taste. Drain the pasta, making sure to shake all of the water off and out of the shells. In a large ovenproof baking dish, place drained shells. Add the cheese and shrimp mixture and gently fold into the pasta. Sprinkle with the bread crumbs and chopped parsley. Place under the broiler until the breadcrumbs are toasted about 2 to 3 minutes.
Simple Mac & Cheese Ingredients: 1/4 cup unsalted butter 1/4 cup all purpose flour 2 cups whole milk salt & pepper to taste 1 Lb. shredded Fontina Cheese 1 Lb. of your favorite dry pasta Preparation: In a sauce pan melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon constantly. (You want the flour to cook but not to brown). Now you have a roux. Cook and stir for another minute or two then add the milk. Wisk the milk into the roux and raise the heat slightly whisking constantly. As it cooks it will start to thicken. Bring it to a boil stirring constantly. (If it gets too thick add a little more milk). Now you have a bechamel sauce. Lower the heat and continue to cook this bechamel sauce until it thickly coats the back of a spoon. Season with a little salt & pepper and remove from the heat. (For a true bechamel sauce you would add a little freshly grated nutmeg; not necessary for mac & cheese.) Off the heat add the grated cheese and stir it in to melt. Now you have your cheese sauce. Cook your pasta in boiling salted water (never add oil to pasta water) and cook until slightly harder than al'dente. Drain the pasta and add it to the cheese sauce. Pour into a baking dish and reheat when ready to serve.
Ultimate Macaroni & Cheese With Molten Cheese Sauce Prep Time: 40 minutes Cook Time: 50 minutes Makes: 4 to 6 Servings Macaroni & Cheese Sauce Base: 4 tablespoons butter or margarine 4 tablespoons flour 1 cup milk 2 cups chicken broth 1 pinch dry mustard 1 splash hot pepper sauce Splash Worcestershire sauce Salt and pepper Topping: 1 cup fresh bread crumbs (either buy them or remove the crust off of some old bread and shop fine in a food processor) 1/4 pound finely grated Parmesan 1 tablespoon seasoning salt Molten Cheese Sauce: 8 (1-inch) cubes pasteurized prepared cheese product (velveeta works well) 1/4 pound sharp yellow cheddar Mix For Macaroni & Cheese: 1 pound elbow macaroni 3/4 pound sharp yellow cheddar 1/2 pound Gruyere 1/2 pound extra sharp white cheddar 4 roma tomatoes, diced fine 24 (1-inch) cubes pasteurized prepared cheese product For The Macaroni & Cheese Sauce Base: Melt butter in a 4-quart saucepot over medium high heat. Add flour and mix until flour is incorporated into butter. Cook, stirring frequently for 2 minutes. Add milk and chicken broth and continue to cook until sauce is thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and season with mustard, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Allow to cool before using. For The Topping: Mix all ingredients in a bowl and set aside. For The Molten Cheese Sauce: Take about 1/2 cup of the sauce base and warm over a medium burner in a small saucepan. When warm, add cheese and cook until melted. Season as necessary. To Make The Macaroni & Cheese: Cook macaroni in salted water, drain and rinse with cold water. Place the yellow cheddar, Gruyere, white cheddar, tomatoes, and pasteurized prepared cheese product in a large mixing bowl. Add 3/4 of the macaroni and cheese sauce base or about 2 1/2 cups, and mix thoroughly. Place the mix evenly into 4 small casserole dishes or 1 large serving plate. Sprinkle with topping and bake in a preheated 400-degree oven until hot and bubbly. Make sure to serve lots of molten cheese sauce. |
