Homemade Mac and Cheese

Everyone has a different way of making it, and I'm always interested in seeing what works for other people. Here's the one I've developed over the years, it makes a very creamy dish:

serves 6

1 1/2 C dried macaroni
2 Tbsp butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 small can evaporated skim milk
1/2 C water
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp mustard powder
salt and pepper
1 C shredded cheese
sliced tomatoes, buttered breadcrumbs or shredded cheese for topping

Oven 350 F

1. Prepare macaroni according to package directions, drain and keep warm.

2. While macaroni is cooking, melt butter over medium low heat. Add onion and cook until soft.

3. Stir in evaporated milk, water, cornstarch and mustard. Heat and stir over medium high heat until thick and creamy, about 5 minutes. You must keep stirring or the milk will scorch the bottom of the pan.

4. Remove from heat, stir in the cheese and salt and pepper to taste.

5. Mix macaroni and cheese mixture together. Pour into a buttered baking dish. Top with preferred topping.

6. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes or until bubbly.

If you like your mac and cheese the stove-top way, just skip the topping and baking step.

Butter and flour to make a light roux. S L O W L Y add milk, whipping constantly with a wire whisk until the proper consistency. Add grated cheese(s) of choice and stir in until melted and the sauce is smooth. Season to taste (some suggestions: nutmeg, cayenne, chipotle powder, hot sauce, cajun seasonings, kinda whatever you want).

Incorporate cooked macaroni. Top with some grated cheese (either the base cheese(s) or a contrast).

Bake until golden and bubbly.

You could also substitute some beef or chicken stock for part of the milk. I know it sounds weird, but it adds a whole other flavor layer.

(like most of my recipes, I don't know about measures. How much do you want? How spicy are ya feeling?)

Equal parts of butter and flour to make a roux, add milk to turn it into a bechamel sauce. I then add chunks of cheddar to melt in it, and salt, pepper and a bit of dry mustard. Mince a tiny bit of onion and put in casserole with cooked macaroni. Pour sauce over the top, add some more milk to top it off (this makes it kind of custardy), and lots of cheese on top, and bake.

I've had a variation where sliced tomatoes and parmesan were on top, and that was good, too.

I like the "bite" of havarti cheese, so I add more Havarti than cheddar and jack.


THREE CHEESE BAKED MACARONI & CHEESE

3 1/2 c. elbow macaroni or rotini
4 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3/4 tsp. dry mustard
3 1/2 c. milk
Tabasco sauce to taste
5 c. grated mixed cheddar, Jack, Havarti
3/4 c. dry bread crumbs
3 tbsp. butter
Cook macaroni in 5 quarts water for 5 minutes; drain.

Melt butter, blend in flour, salt, pepper and mustard. Add milk and Tabasco; cool, stirring over moderate heat, until thick and smooth.

Remove sauce, add cheeses and stir until melted and blended. Combine with cooked macaroni, pour into baking dish and top with 3/4 cup dry bread crumbs and 3 tablespoons butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

You cook the macaroni, drain, then put it back in the pot. Add butter, cheese, eggs and evaporated milk. Slowly, gently heat. Don't let it get too hot or the sauce will separate. I usually season with hot paprika, then grate a little fresh nutmeg over the top. Nice treat for the kids on cold winter afternoons. I like it too :)

....... made for kids (including big kids)! And all the recipes here (except mine, which starts with a roux to replace the cream or condensed milk) really follow that classic construct.

Classic Alfredo is a pretty simple - but very rich - sauce of butter, heavy cream and Reggiano with some nutmeg in it.

and I didn't even know it :)

Oh, hush.

Cut an approx perfect cube hunk of Velveeta (the 5lb slab) - it'll be about 2 & 1/2 - 3 inches on each side - into cubes, and toss it into a casserole dish (1 & 1/2 qt? 2 qt?).

Add enough milk to cover half-to-most of the cheese (product) - about 3/4 cup to a cup. Add a small pad (less than 1 tablespoon) butter and the spices / seasonings of your choice. Pop the dish in the microwave until all the cheese is melted and you have a fairly viscous sauce. Not too thin, not too thick.

Add the 1/2-3/4 cooked macaroni and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Slice up some mozzarella and put it over the top, bake for another 10 minutes.

Eh, voila.

That's how I used to do it; last few times, I've gone the older-fashioned route, but all that *real* cheese brings a lot of milk fat to the equation. Last time I made it using a roux and cheddar, parm, romano, and provologne, I must have drained 1/2 cup of oil out of the finished product.

so your recipe would be the "classic" M & C IMHO

& layer boiled mac, shredded sharp cheddar, white sauce, sliced mozzerella or monterey jack, boiled mac, shredded sharp cheddar, white sauce, then top with toasted, buttered bread crumbs & bake. I make sure the white sauce comes almost to the top of the baking dish & if I screwed up & didn't make enough I add milk to finish. Et Voila!