azredhead
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,755
Jun 25, 2014 22:49:18 GMT
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Post by azredhead on Aug 23, 2014 21:13:14 GMT
It's on my to try things but it scares me. I don't know why. I can do a really good alfredo but cheddar is different? Do you have tips or tricks? I know we had a lasagne thread on the other but thought this would be fun. And yes I would have to add bacon! I would also do regular macaroni noodles. I like a lot of pasta anything pasta but for that traditional. How do you make your make and cheese.
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Post by magentapea on Aug 23, 2014 21:16:55 GMT
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Post by cindyupnorth on Aug 23, 2014 21:20:52 GMT
That recipe looks really dry? where's the gooey, cheesiness?!
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Post by aljack on Aug 23, 2014 21:24:06 GMT
I make mine with a béchamel sauce. I always bake in the oven and add extra cheese on top. Just remember to undercook your noodles or al dente if you will. I make double the sauce because we like ours creamy. I use a combo of Rachel Ray and Paula Deen recipes.
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Post by honeyb on Aug 23, 2014 21:24:38 GMT
I Love Panera Mac & Cheese (stovetop as opposed to baked), but perhaps it's because I've never had a good baked recipe. Here is the recipe I use: www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20408595,00.html While I don't think it's as good as Panera's, it pretty good.
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Post by finsup on Aug 23, 2014 21:25:59 GMT
This has become my all-time favorite Mac and cheese recipe (probably because it's a zillion calories and fat grams.)
1 lb box macaroni noodles 18 oz evaporated milk 18 oz milk 1-1/2 sticks of butter 1-1/4 pound Cooper sharp American cheese
Put in crockpot on low for 2-3 hours.
So easy! It has to be the Cooper cheese because it stays creamy and doesn't get grainy. My arteries just hardened typing it out though.
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Post by lbp on Aug 23, 2014 21:28:23 GMT
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Post by 950nancy on Aug 23, 2014 21:29:15 GMT
My mom used longhorn cheese and some Velveeta. It is still my favorite. It is only noodles. Experiment.
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azredhead
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,755
Jun 25, 2014 22:49:18 GMT
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Post by azredhead on Aug 23, 2014 21:30:53 GMT
I am curious about the crockpot, that would help keep it from getting grainy.
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Post by finsup on Aug 23, 2014 21:34:12 GMT
I am curious about the crockpot, that would help keep it from getting grainy. I think it's the Cooper cheese. I couldn't get it once and use a different cheese with the rest of the recipe the same and it came out grainy. I also tried to edit my post but couldn't, I forgot to add that you grease the crockpot first, add the macaroni noodles and stir with about a tablespoon of oil, then add the rest of the ingredients.
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Nanner
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,987
Jun 25, 2014 23:13:23 GMT
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Post by Nanner on Aug 23, 2014 21:41:26 GMT
Here's mine. This makes a large casserole. I sometimes use it making 2/3 or 1/3, depending on how many people.
Boil up penne noodles al dente and drain. I don't use a full box - I just pour it in, so maybe... 3/4 box??
In heavy pan, melt 6 tbsp butter or margarine, then add 6 tbsp flour and whisk to smooth. Then add 3 cups of milk and whisk til no lumps. Stirring continuously, bring to a boil over just past medium heat and boil 1 minute, still stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and add: 3 cups grated aged cheddar 3 heaping tbsp (REALLY heaping!) cheese whiz 3 heaping tbsp of mayonnaise a few drops (4 or 5) of worcestershire sauce.
Whisk till all is melted and smooth. Add the penne noodles. You want it to be running, so it's a nice, gooey casserole - not dry at all.
Top with cracker crumbs Pour into a sprayed casserole dish and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
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Post by cmhs on Aug 23, 2014 21:41:42 GMT
Martha Stewart's mac and cheese 101 is my go to recipe.
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marianne
Pearl Clutcher
Not my circus, not my monkeys. . . My monkeys fly!
Posts: 4,176
Location: right smack dab in the middle of SC
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Jun 25, 2014 21:08:26 GMT
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Post by marianne on Aug 23, 2014 21:43:14 GMT
I think my recipe comes from an old BH&G cookbook that I adapted to our tastes:
Macaroni & Cheese
2 cups elbow macaroni 3 T butter 2 T flour 2 cups milk 3 cups shredded cheddar 1/2 tsp salt pepper to taste paprika (optional)
Cook macaroni according to pkg directions, drain. Melt butter in medium saucepan, stir in flour and s&p; add milk all at once and cook and stir over moderate heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir about a minute or so more. Add about 2 cups cheese and stir until melted. Add cooked macaroni into cheese sauce. Pour into lightly greased 1-1/2qt casserole; sprinkle remaining cheese on top and sprinkle with paprika, if desired. Bake @350 degrees for about 45 mins until lightly browned.
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Post by anxiousmom on Aug 23, 2014 21:48:04 GMT
I make it fairly regularly, but I don't think I make a "real" recipe. It is one of those things that I have been making for so long, I don't have it written down anywhere. I make mine starting with a roux-then add milk (I guess technically a bechamel sauce.) Then add a lot, lot, lot cheese until melted. Mix with elbows cooked for about six minutes and then bake. I do put cheese on top as well.
My bechamel sauce is fairly thin so that the whole thing doesn't dry out while baking.
If I had to write it down, it would probably end up being something like a stick of butter, a ladle of flour, five cups of milk or until the consistency is right, 16 oz of shredded cheese.
Here is my hint though, no matter what recipe you use, make sure you shred your own cheese. It is tempting to skip the pain in the ass process of shredding it yourself by buying the pre-shredded kind, but don't. The pre-shredded kind has, among other things, some kind of starch additive to keep the shreds from sticking together. When you are baking something like mac and cheese that starch can act as an additional thickening agent and it is hard to know exactly how it will effect your end product and can cause unaccounted for dryness.
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marianne
Pearl Clutcher
Not my circus, not my monkeys. . . My monkeys fly!
Posts: 4,176
Location: right smack dab in the middle of SC
Site Supporter
Jun 25, 2014 21:08:26 GMT
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Post by marianne on Aug 23, 2014 21:51:47 GMT
anxiousmomGreat point! We always just buy blocks of cheddar from Sam's or Costco.
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azredhead
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,755
Jun 25, 2014 22:49:18 GMT
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Post by azredhead on Aug 23, 2014 21:57:32 GMT
That is a good point about shredding it. I've started doing that with other recipes and it tastes better. I don't know why. I think you are talking me into being brave. It sounds really good this week.
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Post by vi on Aug 23, 2014 22:00:19 GMT
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Post by anxiousmom on Aug 23, 2014 22:05:21 GMT
How are the noodles? Are they still firm? I always see this recipe but haven't ever tried it because I can not abide soggy noddles and I just can't see cooking the noodles and then cooking them a further two to three hours and not having them turn into noodle-mush.
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Post by peajays on Aug 23, 2014 22:14:02 GMT
I used to do it with the bechamel sauce, but recently tried this recipe from allrecipes, and it's super creamy and delicious! Creamy Mac n Cheese
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Post by anxiousmom on Aug 23, 2014 22:15:45 GMT
I used to do it with the bechamel sauce, but recently tried this recipe from allrecipes, and it's super creamy and delicious! Creamy Mac n CheeseMy mom uses evaporated milk in her recipe and it is always really good too. Maybe I will give it try next time I make mac/cheese.
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Post by Scrapbrat on Aug 23, 2014 22:39:35 GMT
This has become my all-time favorite Mac and cheese recipe (probably because it's a zillion calories and fat grams.) 1 lb box macaroni noodles 18 oz evaporated milk 18 oz milk 1-1/2 sticks of butter 1-1/4 pound Cooper sharp American cheese Put in crockpot on low for 2-3 hours. So easy! It has to be the Cooper cheese because it stays creamy and doesn't get grainy. My arteries just hardened typing it out though. What is Cooper cheese? A brand name? I am not familiar with it. I would love to try a mac n cheese that cooks in the crock pot.
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Post by scrapnatya on Aug 23, 2014 22:43:11 GMT
I use a whole brick of Velveeta in mine which may preclude it from being called "from scratch"!
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Post by cmpeter on Aug 23, 2014 23:02:29 GMT
Another vote for the Martha Stewart recipe...yummy!
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my3freaks
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,206
Location: NH girl living in Colorado
Jun 26, 2014 4:10:56 GMT
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Post by my3freaks on Aug 23, 2014 23:17:07 GMT
I posted this on the thread about fooking better or worse than your mother in law. I could seriously eat this every.single.day! Here's the mac & cheese recipe we use. It is so good! My husband is the one who makes it, and I'm pretty sure he leaves the thyme out, and he uses more than 4 slices of bacon. I buy 3 blocks for Cracker Barrel Vermont white cheddar to use. (It's much cheaper if you get it at Walmart or Target than it is at the grocery store). I think we've used Tilamook once too. It gets baked in a glass 9x13 pan. Ingredients Kosher salt 1 pound elbow macaroni 4 cups milk 2 or 3 sprigs thyme 4 cloves garlic, smashed and divided 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 5 1/2 cups shredded sharp white Cheddar Freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley 4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into thin strips 1 large onion, diced 2 garlic cloves, smashed Leaves from 1/4 bunch fresh thyme Instructions Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the macaroni and cook for 8 to 9 minutes, until al dente. Drain. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a small saucepan heat the milk with the thyme sprigs and 2 garlic cloves. Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, to keep lumps from forming. Strain the solids out of the milk and whisk it into the butter and flour mixture. Continue to whisk vigorously, and cook until the mixture is nice and smooth. Stir in the 4 cups of the cheese and continue to cook and stir to melt the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cooked macaroni and the parsley and fold that all in to coat the macaroni with the cheese mixture. Scrape into a 3-quart baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. While that bakes, heat a saute pan. Add the bacon, render the fat and cook until crispy. Add onion, garlic and thyme leaves and cook for about 5 minutes to soften the onion. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, scatter the bacon mixture over the mac and cheese
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Post by hennybutton on Aug 23, 2014 23:22:39 GMT
Martha Stewart's mac and cheese 101 is my go to recipe. That's my favorite.
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Post by craftsbycarolyn on Aug 24, 2014 0:53:51 GMT
I make it fairly regularly, but I don't think I make a "real" recipe. It is one of those things that I have been making for so long, I don't have it written down anywhere. I make mine starting with a roux-then add milk (I guess technically a bechamel sauce.) Then add a lot, lot, lot cheese until melted. Mix with elbows cooked for about six minutes and then bake. I do put cheese on top as well. My bechamel sauce is fairly thin so that the whole thing doesn't dry out while baking. If I had to write it down, it would probably end up being something like a stick of butter, a ladle of flour, five cups of milk or until the consistency is right, 16 oz of shredded cheese. Here is my hint though, no matter what recipe you use, make sure you shred your own cheese. It is tempting to skip the pain in the ass process of shredding it yourself by buying the pre-shredded kind, but don't. The pre-shredded kind has, among other things, some kind of starch additive to keep the shreds from sticking together. When you are baking something like mac and cheese that starch can act as an additional thickening agent and it is hard to know exactly how it will effect your end product and can cause unaccounted for dryness. This is how I make mine...by sight
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Post by gritzi on Aug 24, 2014 1:15:31 GMT
I love the baked mac & cheese recipe at Skinnytaste.com . It's not the typical mac & cheese, but a dish I enjoy since it's lower calorie. My DSs really like it, too.
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msliz
Drama Llama
The Procrastinator
Posts: 6,419
Jun 26, 2014 21:32:34 GMT
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Post by msliz on Aug 24, 2014 1:16:01 GMT
www.muellerspasta.com/recipes/baked-mac-and-cheeseMy mom always made the one on the back of the Mueller's box. She used sharp cheddar and left out the mustard. She'd usually stretch it a bit by adding tuna or a combo of tuna and hard boiled egg. It was a cheap way to feed a big family on a small amount on money. And it was yummy too
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Post by finsup on Aug 24, 2014 1:29:26 GMT
This has become my all-time favorite Mac and cheese recipe (probably because it's a zillion calories and fat grams.) 1 lb box macaroni noodles 18 oz evaporated milk 18 oz milk 1-1/2 sticks of butter 1-1/4 pound Cooper sharp American cheese Put in crockpot on low for 2-3 hours. So easy! It has to be the Cooper cheese because it stays creamy and doesn't get grainy. My arteries just hardened typing it out though. What is Cooper cheese? A brand name? I am not familiar with it. I would love to try a mac n cheese that cooks in the crock pot. www.coopercheese.comIt is a brand; they carry it at my local grocery store delis (I'm in Maine), but I can never find it at Publix when I visit my folks in Florida.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Sept 28, 2024 17:25:27 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Aug 24, 2014 1:29:27 GMT
One time I was making homemade mac and cheese and didn't have enough cheddar. But I did have some pepper jack, so I shredded that up and used it in place of half the cheddar. Amazing! Now DH doesn't want it any other way.
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