Mac and cheese

[moroccangirl]

I was looking for a good recipe and I knew Paula Deen would have a good one. But what in the word is cheddar cheese soup? I don't even know if I can find that here. We have campbells products but I have never noticed that one.
Should I just add more cheese and milk instead? Or does anyone have a good recipe?

http://www.pauladeen.com/creamy-macaroni-and-cheese

Ingredients
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (10 3/4 oz) can condensed cheddar cheese soup
3 eggs, beaten
2 1/2 cups (about 10 oz) sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni, (an 8 oz box isn't quite 2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Preparation
Boil the macaroni in a 2 quart saucepan in plenty of water until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain. In a medium saucepan, mix butter and cheese. Stir until the cheese melts. In a slow cooker, combine cheese/butter mixture and add the sour cream, soup, salt, milk, mustard and pepper and stir well. Add eggs. Then add drained macaroni and stir again. Set the slow cooker on low setting and cook for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

[seattlegirl]

Cheddar cheese soup seems like cheating somehow.  I'd think a blob of velveeta would sub.  Can you get that?

I haven't tried it yet, but I have Alton Brown's recipe bookmarked.  If you try it, please review it!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/stove-top-mac-n-cheese-recipe.html

[moroccangirl]

Cheddar cheese soup seems like cheating somehow.  I'd think a blob of velveeta would sub.  Can you get that?

I haven't tried it yet, but I have Alton Brown's recipe bookmarked.  If you try it, please review it!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/stove-top-mac-n-cheese-recipe.html

Is that the one that was on his fb page? With onions? I was going to try that one but I just can't bring myself to put onions in Mac and cheese.

[seattlegirl]

Is that the one that was on his fb page? With onions? I was going to try that one but I just can't bring myself to put onions in Mac and cheese.

No onions.

Ingredients
1/2 pound elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
6 ounces evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
10 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded

Directions
In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente and drain. Return to the pot and melt in the butter. Toss to coat.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and mustard. Stir into the pasta and add the cheese. Over low heat continue to stir for 3 minutes or until creamy.

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

[merigayle]

America's Test Kitchen has the BEST recipe. Make that one.

[moroccangirl]

Nevermind, i'm making this one. I remember seeing it awhile back and it has great reviews (and it's simple). It's John Legend's recipe (the singer).

http://www.marthastewart.com/348566/john-legends-macaroni-and-cheese

INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
3 cups elbow macaroni
2 (12-ounce) cans evaporated milk
1/3 cup skim milk
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 (8-ounce) packages extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 (8-ounce) package Monterey Jack cheese, grated
Paprika, for sprinkling
DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter a 13-by-9-inch glass baking dish; set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt and macaroni. Cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain, and return to pot. Add butter, and toss until pasta is coated and butter has melted; set aside.
 WATCH: How to Cook Pasta
In a medium bowl, whisk together evaporated milk, skim milk, and eggs. Add seasoned salt, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; set aside. In another medium bowl, combine cheeses; set aside.
Place 1/3 macaroni in an even layer in the bottom of prepared baking dish; cover evenly with 1/3 cheese. Repeat with remaining macaroni and cheese mixture. Pour milk mixture evenly over contents of baking dish. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake until top layer is lightly browned, 35 to 45 minutes. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

[diablita]

Ugh, Paula Deen.  And ugh, cheddar cheese soup in mac & cheese. 

MG, if you're going to experiment with recipes I'd suggest making both of Alton Brown's (stove top and baked) to figure out which general recipe you like better, then mod on your own from there.  Or the one you just posted (as a baked recipe) and the Alton Brown stovetop above.

[moroccangirl]

Ugh, Paula Deen.  And ugh, cheddar cheese soup in mac & cheese. 

MG, if you're going to experiment with recipes I'd suggest making both of Alton Brown's (stove top and baked) to figure out which general recipe you like better, then mod on your own from there.  Or the one you just posted (as a baked recipe) and the Alton Brown stovetop above.

I know!! I woke up this morning thinking I couldn't make that Mac and cheese even if I knew what cheddar cheese soup was, or where I could buy it. Just sounds gross.
I'm cooking on Saturday because our friends are coming from Riyadh on Friday. I think I'll do the John Legend recipe then try Alton brown's later when I have more time.

[moroccangirl]

And this year I'm going to print all of my recipes and modifications so I'm not doing this again next year!! I do the same thing every year.

[merigayle]

Yes, Alton Browns would be second to America's Test Kitchen.


Obviously when i made it i used things like veggie stock, etc

Ingredients:

Topping:
4 slices white sandwich bread, torn into quarters
2 T butter, melted

Macaroni and Cheese:
Salt
1 pound elbow macaroni
6 T butter
1 medium pressed garlic clove
1 t dry mustard
1/4 t cayenne pepper
6 T flour
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
3 1/2 cups whole milk
16 ounces colby jack cheese, shredded (about 5 1/3 cups)
8 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 2/3 cups)
Ground black pepper

1. For the topping: process the bread and butter in a food processor fitted with the steel blade until coarsely ground, about six 1-second pulses; set aside.
2. For the macaroni and cheese: adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 400 degrees. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a dutch oven over high heat. Stir in 1 T salt and the macaroni; cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain the pasta and leave it in the colander; set aside.
3. Wipe the pot dry. Add the butter and return to medium heat until melted. Add the garlic, mustard, and cayenne; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and milk; bring to a simmer and cook, whisking often, until large bubbles form on the surface and the mixture is slightly thickened, 5 to 8 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the cheeses gradually until completely melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add the drained pasta to the cheese sauce and stir, breaking up any clumps, until well combined. Pour into a 9 x 13″ baking dish and sprinkle with the bread crumb topping. Bake until golden brown and bubbling around the edges, approximately 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.

[moroccangirl]

Meri I couldn't access the recipe on ATK site because I'm not a member, but I found it on another site. Do you know why I scrolled past it? Because I saw the bread slices as an ingredient. I was like why in the world would bread slices be in Mac and cheese. I guess if I would have read the recipe then I would have known it was for the topping!! Lollll. I may try that one after all.

[merigayle]

Lol! I posted it up above your last post.

[redkitty]

So I hate baked mac and cheese and think any mac and cheese that has eggs in it should be called mac and cheese (yuck.)  Here is mine.  If you want it "soupyier" then you could make the noodles outside of the milk and add noodles in after teh cheese sauce is made (but that is not how this recipe works....but saw a Eat yourself Thin episode that did just that with essentially this recipe.) 


Make a roux...1/8 cup of flour and 1/4 cup of butter (I am remembering this recipe off the top fo my head...I think anyway you make a roux would be fine.) 
Then pour in 3 cups of milk and bring to a boil
Add 8 ozs of elbow macaroni  and bring to a simmer.  Cover and cook until noodles are soft (around 8 minutes or so...make sure to not let milk boil over...boiled over milk smells awful.)
When noodles are soft, take off of heat and had 1 1/2- 2 cups of cheddar cheese. 

That is it.  it is yummy. The original recipe has onions in it, but I don't like onions in my mac and cheese.

[merigayle]

I have made the ATk one without the bread and without baking (Dh prefers it that way)

[ihop]

My go to recipe is from the late Gourmet magazine. It is on epicurious.com and is the 1998 version.

[moroccangirl]

Is baked Mac and cheese a southern thing? I like both ways but actually, I'm fine with boxed kraft shells and cheese (but not that powdered cheese).

[ihop]

I love baked because of the texture of the top - crunchy and creamy in one bite!

[Run Amok]

I'm not a fan of it baked either. Moreso as an adult. As a kid, I hated it.

This is my go-to recipe.I really like the combo of cheeses and it gets really creamy, but not stretchy. http://www.marthastewart.com/271998/perfect-macaroni-and-cheese

We also really like this smoked gouda mac & cheese:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/smoked-gouda-cheese-macaroni-recipe.html#!

[srsly]

I only bake my mac and cheese when there's buttered panko topping. I think baking makes it dry. I hate left over mac and cheese btw.

DS is making mac and cheese for TG, involves an expensive cheese. It better be good.

[diablita]

cold, leftover mac & cheese is my kryptonite 

[srsly]

cold, leftover mac & cheese is my kryptonite 

the only cold left overs I love are fried chicken and pizza, and perhaps a slice of quiche. Pasta or rice leftovers just aren't as good as  they were when served the first time.

[LilyLily]

I'm a big fan of Pioneer Woman's recipe.  I put some smoked gouda into it along w/ the cheddar.

[rocketgirl]

The recipe I use has onion and it is GOOD.

First you make a roux... OK - first you boil some pasta. Cook1 lb. of any small pasta shape you like to al dente in about a gallon of boiling salted water. Penne, mostaccioli, farfalla, and of course elbow macaroni all work just fine. Drain well and set aside.
 
Then you make a roux...
Melt 1 stick of butter in a large pot (I use a 7 qt dutch oven) over medium heat. Saute 1 medium onion, diced, in the butter until the onion is translucent. Add 1/2 cup all purpose flour to the butter and onion, and cook until the mixture is light brown and smells nutty (about 5 minutes).
 
Now make a bearnaise...
Slowly add 4 cups milk (or 1 bottle of beer and 3 cups of milk), stirring constantly with a whisk so there are no lumps. Season the sauce with salt, freshly ground black pepper and freshly grated nutmeg to taste. Stir in 3 drops of your favorite hot sauce.
 
And add cheese...
Stir in 1 lb each shredded cheddar and monterey jack cheeses until melted. Add the drained pasta to the pot and stir to coat. Top with another ½ lb of shredded cheddar cheese and a light layer of panko breadcrumbs (or plain breadcrumbs if you don't have panko).
 
Then you bake...
Bake at 450° until golden brown and bubbly. Let the casserole stand for a few minutes before cutting into it. It's hard to do because it smells really good, but the sauce is the culinary equivalent of napalm. Let it sit for about ten minutes and you'll be happier eating it.
 
Serves up to 12 people as a side dish or 8 as a main course.

[diablita]

the only cold left overs I love are fried chicken and pizza, and perhaps a slice of quiche. Pasta or rice leftovers just aren't as good as  they were when served the first time.

While I generally agree, there is something about mac n cheese for me.

[rocketgirl]

Yeah, I don't want my leftover mac & cheese cold.

But it turns out to be pretty darn good with bacon on a grilled sandwich of buttered French or Italian bread.

[caribougrrl]

The recipe I use has onion and it is GOOD.

First you make a roux... OK - first you boil some pasta. Cook1 lb. of any small pasta shape you like to al dente in about a gallon of boiling salted water. Penne, mostaccioli, farfalla, and of course elbow macaroni all work just fine. Drain well and set aside.
 
Then you make a roux...
Melt 1 stick of butter in a large pot (I use a 7 qt dutch oven) over medium heat. Saute 1 medium onion, diced, in the butter until the onion is translucent. Add 1/2 cup all purpose flour to the butter and onion, and cook until the mixture is light brown and smells nutty (about 5 minutes).
 
Now make a bearnaise...
Slowly add 4 cups milk (or 1 bottle of beer and 3 cups of milk), stirring constantly with a whisk so there are no lumps. Season the sauce with salt, freshly ground black pepper and freshly grated nutmeg to taste. Stir in 3 drops of your favorite hot sauce.
 
And add cheese...
Stir in 1 lb each shredded cheddar and monterey jack cheeses until melted. Add the drained pasta to the pot and stir to coat. Top with another ½ lb of shredded cheddar cheese and a light layer of panko breadcrumbs (or plain breadcrumbs if you don't have panko).
 
Then you bake...
Bake at 450° until golden brown and bubbly. Let the casserole stand for a few minutes before cutting into it. It's hard to do because it smells really good, but the sauce is the culinary equivalent of napalm. Let it sit for about ten minutes and you'll be happier eating it.
 
Serves up to 12 people as a side dish or 8 as a main course.

that's nearly 1/3 lb of cheese per person! (1/5 of a lb as a side)

[Run Amok]

The recipe I use has onion and it is GOOD.

First you make a roux... OK - first you boil some pasta. Cook1 lb. of any small pasta shape you like to al dente in about a gallon of boiling salted water. Penne, mostaccioli, farfalla, and of course elbow macaroni all work just fine. Drain well and set aside.
 
Then you make a roux...
Melt 1 stick of butter in a large pot (I use a 7 qt dutch oven) over medium heat. Saute 1 medium onion, diced, in the butter until the onion is translucent. Add 1/2 cup all purpose flour to the butter and onion, and cook until the mixture is light brown and smells nutty (about 5 minutes).
 
Now make a bearnaise...
Slowly add 4 cups milk (or 1 bottle of beer and 3 cups of milk), stirring constantly with a whisk so there are no lumps. Season the sauce with salt, freshly ground black pepper and freshly grated nutmeg to taste. Stir in 3 drops of your favorite hot sauce.
 
And add cheese...
Stir in 1 lb each shredded cheddar and monterey jack cheeses until melted. Add the drained pasta to the pot and stir to coat. Top with another ½ lb of shredded cheddar cheese and a light layer of panko breadcrumbs (or plain breadcrumbs if you don't have panko).
 
Then you bake...
Bake at 450° until golden brown and bubbly. Let the casserole stand for a few minutes before cutting into it. It's hard to do because it smells really good, but the sauce is the culinary equivalent of napalm. Let it sit for about ten minutes and you'll be happier eating it.
 
Serves up to 12 people as a side dish or 8 as a main course.

(bernaise is actually made in the fashion of hollondaise-- egg yolks & clarified butter. You're describing a bechamel which is jus roux & milk)

[rocketgirl]

(bernaise is actually made in the fashion of hollondaise-- egg yolks & clarified butter. You're describing a bechamel which is jus roux & milk)

I don't know what any of it is called.  I copied and pasted from a friend.  She can COOK but has been winging it for so long that she doesn't always remember the terminology.  But I use her recipe.

And yes, cg, it is a SHIT TON of cheese!  The boyfriend discovered the hard way that it is not a good night before a long run meal.  (I did warn him...)

[Dagstag v 2.0]

that's nearly 1/3 lb of cheese per person! (1/5 of a lb as a side)

You say that like it's a problem...

[caribougrrl]

You say that like it's a problem...

I don't even know if it's a problem or not, I'm still in shock.

[Dagstag v 2.0]

I don't even know if it's a problem or not, I'm still in shock.

Given that a serving of cheese is 1 oz, and I have definitely eaten 4 servings of cheese at a time before, I'm not fazed

[caribougrrl]

Given that a serving of cheese is 1 oz, and I have definitely eaten 4 servings of cheese at a time before, I'm not fazed

you should move to Canada, our cheese serving size is 1.5 oz...


I'm not a mac and cheese eater, but do occasionally eat too much pizza... I imagine it's quite likely there's just as much cheese there.  But seeing it in writing makes it real, I guess. 

[Dagstag v 2.0]

you should move to Canada, our cheese serving size is 1.5 oz...


I'm not a mac and cheese eater, but do occasionally eat too much pizza... I imagine it's quite likely there's just as much cheese there.  But seeing it in writing makes it real, I guess.

Secretly, I would love to move to Canada.  I feel Canadian.

I don't like extra cheese on pizza for some reason, but I can demolish a baked brie or an assiete fromage like nobody's business.

Back to mac & cheese... I know it's cliche, but I really like truffled mac & cheese.

[srsly]

Secretly, I would love to move to Canada.  I feel Canadian.

I don't like extra cheese on pizza for some reason, but I can demolish a baked brie or an assiete fromage like nobody's business.

Back to mac & cheese... I know it's cliche, but I really like truffled mac & cheese.

I do too! I almost forgot that I have truffle oil just for making mac and cheese. I will make this for Christmas.

[wombleatwimbledon]

Secretly, I would love to move to Canada.  I feel Canadian.

I don't like extra cheese on pizza for some reason, but I can demolish a baked brie or an assiete fromage like nobody's business.

Back to mac & cheese... I know it's cliche, but I really like truffled mac & cheese.

I love Mac and cheese, I makes huges batches and freeze single portions since it makes a great easy lunch if you have a bit of salad or steamed veggies with it..

My absolute fav cheese at the moment is either deep fried Camembert or halloumi

[Magic Microbe]

No recipe needed for Mac and cheese. Start with a roux...add milk and cheese and the sauce is done.

[caribougrrl]

I read an article yesterday about a hot-shot BBQ place in Brooklyn (the owner is from S Carolina if I recall)... any way, he does his mac and cheese in a waffle iron (I mean, I presume he stirs macaroni into cheese sauce then uses that as "batter").


It's possible that would be mac and cheese I could get behind.

[moroccangirl]

I read an article yesterday about a hot-shot BBQ place in Brooklyn (the owner is from S Carolina if I recall)... any way, he does his mac and cheese in a waffle iron (I mean, I presume he stirs macaroni into cheese sauce then uses that as "batter").


It's possible that would be mac and cheese I could get behind.

That sounds interesting

[merigayle]

Lots of things are AWESOME in the waffle iron, this may be a hard one to clean up though...... I like mashed potatoes in the waffle iron