Mac & Cheese help please!

[Glorie]

I've never made "homemade" mac & cheese before. Over the weekend I was watching "America's Test Kitchen" and they made a so-called "perfect" mac & cheese. I got the recipe online and made it last night. Ugh - it wasn't very good at all! It was made with evaporated milk and it didn't even TASTE cheesey although the sauce was very thick and cheesey looking. Does anyone else out there have a good, easy recipe???? Please??????

 

[pdswife]

Here's the recipe that I use Glorie.

Shaffer style Mac and cheese

• 1 (8 ounce) package macaroni
• 4 tablespoons real butter
• 1/2 cup diced onions, very small dice
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worshire sauce ( yes,,that's spelled incorrectly)fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 cups good quality shredded cheese ( I used, Swiss, Parm, Motz and a little chedder
• Preheat oven to 400°F.

Cook and drain macaroni according to package directions; set aside.
In a large saucepan melt the butter.
Add flour mixed with salt and pepper, and dry mustard , Mix well
Pour milk in gradually; stirring constantly.
Bring to a boil and boil 2 minutes (stirring constantly).
Add Woshire sauce
Reduce heat and cook until thick...about three minutes more Add cheese a little at a time and mix until cheese melts.

Take pan off the heat and add pasta to the saucepan and toss to coat with the cheese sauce.
Transfer noodle mixture to a buttered baking dish.

Bake 15 minutes and then add a handful or two of cheddar cheeseBake another five minutes or until top cheese has melted

 

[kitchenelf]

I make a bechemel sauce that can be found in the recipe you used (dry mustard, etc.), remove it from the burner and add the cheese. We have tested MANY different cheeses and we still like cheddar (sharp), monteray jack, and a bit of Parmesan. I don't bake mine. When the cheese is melted I simply add the noodles, stir, and put it in a bowl. However, we have been known to sit down with the pot in the middle and dig away!

I like it creamy and not baked in.

 

[Jeekinz]

I've never made "homemade" mac & cheese before. Over the weekend I was watching "America's Test Kitchen" and they made a so-called "perfect" mac & cheese. I got the recipe online and made it last night. Ugh - it wasn't very good at all! It was made with evaporated milk and it didn't even TASTE cheesey although the sauce was very thick and cheesey looking. Does anyone else out there have a good, easy recipe???? Please??????

Every "perfect" dish I tried from ATK was horrible.

This has to be the best Mac & Cheese I've ever had, besides the old school homemade comfort version.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_29054,00.html

 

[pdswife]

oh.. ham and shrimp! Yummmmmmers!

 

[Jeekinz]

The extra large shells add alot to it as well.

 

[Glorie]

I've never thought about mixing in shrimp before....Thanks! )

 

[kitchenelf]

Jeekz - that looks like a good version because it doesn't really "bake" the mac and cheese - just toasts the crumbs on top!

 

[Glorie]

Pds, this sounds wonderful too! Thank you!! )

 

[Jeekinz]

I've even left them out....still tastes crazy good.

 

[Jeekinz]

Jeekz - that looks like a good version because it doesn't really "bake" the mac and cheese - just toasts the crumbs on top!

Yeah, it's not "baked" per se, still real ooey and gooey. You can leave the crumbs off too....still really good.

 

[Walt Bulander]

My family likes the old fashioned style of macaroni and cheese.

Betty Crocker has an easy recipe: Family-Favorite Macaroni and Cheese from Betty Crocker

I adapt the Betty Crocker recipe by sauteeing a couple Tbs of grated onion in the butter for the bechamel, then making the bechamel with 1 Tbs of dry mustard added, whisk and bring to a boil until thickened.

The cooked pasta is layered with shredded sharp cheddar cheese, pour the bechamel over it (you may have to push some of the pasta aside to allow the bechamel to penetrate, depending on how thick you made it.

cover with crumbs, dot with some butter and bake (350) 30 min covered, and 15 uncovered.

 

[Glorie]

So you layer it like a lasagne?

 

[Walt Bulander]

So you layer it like a lasagne?

It's not fussy. Just easier than mixing it all up. It pretty much melts together, when it's done, but with bites of cheese, here and there.

 

[RobsanX]

Did you use sharp cheddar? It's makes a big difference over mild cheddar...

 

[Katie H]

We like macaroni and cheese so much I have a separate section in my recipe file JUST for mac and cheese recipes. Don't know how many I have at last count. One of the ones we especially like has canned diced tomatoes (drained) in it. Think it's called Baltimore-style, whatever that means.

Another "comfort" recipe comes from Kraft and uses Velveeta. The recipe is here but, of course, I had to tinker with it. I add a little cream cheese to the mix. I found it really doesn't need the 20-minute baked time, though. Just enough time in a preheated oven to heat through. I've even made it in the microwave. Still good. And, since we're not huge fans of the crumb topping, I've made it without the crumbs. Good any way it's done.

 

[ella/TO]

I don't have the site to give you, sorry, but look up Emeril's Mac and Cheese. We found it deelish

 

[Katie H]

I don't have the site to give you, sorry, but look up Emeril's Mac and Cheese. We found it deelish

There are several attributed to Emeril. Is this the one you like?

 

[jpmcgrew]

We like macaroni and cheese so much I have a separate section in my recipe file JUST for mac and cheese recipes. Don't know how many I have at last count. One of the ones we especially like has canned diced tomatoes (drained) in it. Think it's called Baltimore-style, whatever that means.

Another "comfort" recipe comes from Kraft and uses Velveeta. The recipe is here but, of course, I had to tinker with it. I add a little cream cheese to the mix. I found it really doesn't need the 20-minute baked time, though. Just enough time in a preheated oven to heat through. I've even made it in the microwave. Still good. And, since we're not huge fans of the crumb topping, I've made it without the crumbs. Good any way it's done.

I think the velveeta version is quite good for everyday mac and cheese I like the cream cheese idea Katie gonna have to try it next time.

 

[Mama]

Here's my recipe:

Here's what you'll need:

1 lb macaroni, uncooked
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
2 cups of shredded Kraft Mexican Style Cheese (consists of 4 cheeses - Cheddar, Asadero, Queso Quesadilla and Montery Jack Cheeses)
2 cups half-and-half
8 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon seasoning salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Here's what you need to do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter the bottom and sides of a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. Set aside.
In a large pot, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add macaroni and 2 tablespoons salt and return to a boil. Boil for about 7 minutes. Drain. Return to pot.
Pour the melted butter on top of the macaroni. Add 1 1/2 cups of the Mexican Style Cheese along with all of the velveeta cheese. Mix well until the cheese begins to melt.
Add the half and half, eggs, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Pour the macaroni mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
Sprinkle with the remaining Mexican Stlye Cheese.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until edges begin to brown and are nice and bubbly.

Yummy!