Paula Deen Mac And Cheese

[JGDean]

Sorry I made the mayo comment.

[Addie]

Originally Posted by bakechef

Eggs are an essential part of southern macaroni and cheese, it's a custard style here. I make mine saucy with a bechamel base, no eggs, but I was not born and raised here!

Please, do pray tell, what do the eggs do for a cheese sauce? I have never hear of that addition. My mother would sometimes add sliced hard boiled eggs to a béchamel sauce and pour it over toast for me. But that is the closest I have ever heard.

[jennyema]

Originally Posted by Addie

Please, do pray tell, what do the eggs do for a cheese sauce? I have never hear of that addition. My mother would sometimes add sliced hard boiled eggs to a béchamel sauce and pour it over toast for me. But that is the closest I have ever heard.

They turn cheese sauce into cheese custard. Cant say I'm a fan.

[Addie]

Originally Posted by Cooking Goddess

How do you guys make your bechamel sauce? I've seen various ratios. Generally I use 2 TBSP each flour and butter to each cup of milk.

To cheese it up I'll add between 1/2 cup to 1 cup cheese depending on the strength of flavor.

I have made it so often over the years that I no longer measure. A large glop of butter and a heaping of flour. Mix, allow to cook for a minute or two to rid the raw flour taste, salt, pepper and pour in the milk a little at a time until all the roux is smoothly absorbed. Then continue to add the milk until I have the consistency I am looking for. For mac and cheese, I want it loose as the cheese will thicken it up. For other uses, the thickness depends.

[taxlady]

I have only met one mac & cheese that I liked. A TV chef had been told to bring mac & cheese to a PTA potluck, so she invented her own recipe. It had whole wheat pasta and three cheeses, of which one was blue cheese. There was no bechamel, no soup, no eggs, no flour. I think there were sun dried tomatoes and cream and/or milk. There may have been garlic or other seasoning. It was really good.

I lost the recipe and tried to make it from memory, but it wasn't very nice.

Any ideas?

[Addie]

Originally Posted by jennyema

They turn cheese sauce into cheese custard. Cant say I'm a fan.

Sounds more like a quiche to me.

[MrsLMB]

Well this thread sure is loaded with opinions and passion LOL

Mac and cheese is an individual preference kind of thing.

Mac and cheese is not a healthy dish but it won't kill you so long as it is not the only thing you eat.

Who cares if Paula D. loads everything with butter and sugar and lard .. if you like that stuff then eat it. If you don't then walk away.

Last time I checked we still have the freedom to choose to eat what we want (although that right is in jeopardy if some have their way).

We all have tweeks we do to a recipe .. some like it with eggs and some don't.

Some like it smooth and some don't.

Some like it with a tang and some don't.

Some "southern" food is different than other "southern food".

I love the original post ... simply someone sharing a link to a dish that was made and enjoyed.

Sometimes we forget that others do not necessarily agree with our tastes and preferences. Then we get into what is almost an argument of what is right and what is wrong as well as a bashing of someone else's tastes.

Just thought I would point out what I saw when I read this entire thread a few minutes ago for the first time.

[CarolPa]

Originally Posted by GotGarlic

You are "allowed" to do whatever you want.

Thank you.

[GotGarlic]

Originally Posted by CarolPa

Thank you.

Don't thank *me*! I'm just stating the facts, ma'am.

[GotGarlic]

Originally Posted by MrsLMB

... Just thought I would point out what I saw when I read this entire thread a few minutes ago for the first time.

I don't think this place would be nearly as interesting if we all just applauded every post

[CatPat]

I love all of you. I never knew there were so many opinions of mac and cheese!

I've copied and pasted some of these replies and recipes and suggestions onto a Notepad and tucked it into my DC folder.

I became tired with the boxed mac and cheese, so I wanted to try something completely different.

With love,
~Cat

[Janet H]

I think Mac and cheese is similar to pizza - I never met one I didn't like. Some are better than others but they are all good.

I lived in the south for a few years and was appalled at the custardy version of mac and cheese but came to really like it after a few tries. Not having to make a cooked sauce for the custardy version has the advantage of never making too much to too little sauce. You can just gauge the amount of milk, eggs, cheese and various other fats by the depth of the pasta in the baking dish.

[Aunt Bea]

The custardy version is great made with JUMBO shells, the custard sort of fills the shells and sets while baking, delish!

Don't foget the Frank's RedHot Original Red Hot Sauce!

[bakechef]

Originally Posted by Addie

Please, do pray tell, what do the eggs do for a cheese sauce? I have never hear of that addition. My mother would sometimes add sliced hard boiled eggs to a béchamel sauce and pour it over toast for me. But that is the closest I have ever heard.

It's definitely different than I make, it holds together. It's not my favorite, and I've had so many bland versions almost never cheesy enough.

My favorite is the bechamel style. My recipe has a ton of sauce with lots of cheese, my macaroni swims in sauce, and it all comes together while baking.

[Cooking Goddess]

Originally Posted by GotGarlic

... and 1/2 cup of Havarti or Monterey Jack or mozzarella.

If you want, try it with a half-cup of smoked Gouda instead. OhMy! Well, ohmy if you like smoked cheese. It's creamy as well as giving it that smoky flavor. I think I end up using 1 part smoked Gouda for every 2 parts cheddar.

[CraigC]

Gruyere will find its way into our next homemade Mac and Cheese recipe. Anyone ever make it with tortellini?

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Originally Posted by CraigC

Gruyere will find its way into our next homemade Mac and Cheese recipe. Anyone ever make it with tortellini?

CraigC; That sounds like an absolutely brilliant idea. I would think mini-raviolies wood work too.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

[Steve Kroll]

Originally Posted by CraigC

Gruyere will find its way into our next homemade Mac and Cheese recipe. Anyone ever make it with tortellini?

I've never made it with a stuffed pasta, but that does sound good.

I've made versions with meat mixed in with the pasta and sauce. One of the kid's favorites was with chunks of smoked kielbasa and green beans. Crumbled Italian hot sausage works well, too.

[Aunt Bea]

The tortellini sounds good!

If you use the dry tortellini I would make lots and lots of sauce. When I use it in soups it drinks all of the broth and day two becomes a casserole instead of a soup, still tasty. I use Barilla spinach and cheese when I make soup, very good.

[Addie]

My kids have no imagination. I tried using small and medium shells. Nope. They won't go for it. Elbows or nothing. They finally got used to the casserole size ones.