Creamy Mac And Cheese Recipes

EASY CREAMY MAC 'N CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook pasta in large pot according to package directions.
• Meanwhile, whisk milk, Country Crock® Spread, and flour in large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking frequently. Reduce heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in cheese until melted; remove from heat. Drain pasta and fold into the sauce.

CREAMY MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook macaroni according to package directions. , Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°. In a large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add 1-1/2 cups milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; stir in sour cream, Velveeta, Parmesan cheese, salt, mustard and pepper until smooth and cheese is melted. Add additional milk to reach desired consistency. , Drain macaroni; toss with cheddar cheese. Transfer to a greased 3-qt. baking dish. Stir in cream sauce. , Bake, uncovered, 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

CREAMY BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Set an oven rack 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until it is al dente, about 6 minutes. Strain, reserving 1 3/4 cups of the pasta water. Set aside.
• Heat the half-and-half and cayenne in a large saucepan over medium heat until it just comes to a simmer. Continue simmering until the half-and-half is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Add the cream cheese and stir until melted. Whisk in the Cheddar and Gruyere until all the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.
• Add the macaroni and the reserved pasta water to the saucepan and stir to combine. (It will look very loose, but the pasta will suck up a lot of the sauce as it bakes.) Season to taste with salt if needed. Pour into a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Toss the bread crumbs with the butter and a sprinkle of salt in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over the top of the macaroni and cheese. Bake until the cheese is bubbly and the bread crumbs are lightly browned and crispy, about 10 minutes.

SUPER CREAMY AND CHEESY MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook the macaroni and set aside.
• In a pot, melt the butter and mix in salt and pepper.
• Slowly add in the flour, stirring continuously.
• Gradually add the milk and stir the mixture until smooth.
• Add the cheese on a low heat and melt into the mixture.
• Once the mixture is at your desired consistency, mix in the drained macaroni.

CREAMY MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• In a big skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat.
• Whisk the flour in gradually until the mixture is smooth.
• Cook and whisk continually for 2 minutes.
• Add in salt, pepper, cayenne, and garlic; stir to combine.
• Gradually whisk in half-and-half and milk.
• Cook and whisk continually for 8-10 minutes or until mixture is thickened.
• Add in half of the sharp cheddar cheese; stir.
• Add in all of the extra-sharp cheddar cheese; stir until smooth.
• Take skillet off stove burner.
• Mix together the cooked macaroni and cheese mixture; transfer to a greased 13x9 inch casserole dish.
• Sprinkle with the remaining sharp cheddar cheese.
• Bake in a 350° oven for 20 minutes (may need to bake longer for a crispy top).

CREAMY MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring 2 quarts of water to boil in large soup kettle. Add salt and pasta. Using package directions as a guide, cook until al dente. Drain. To prevent sticking, drain and immediately pour onto a large lipped baking sheet and let cool while preparing sauce.
• Meanwhile, microwave the milk and chicken broth in a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup or bowl until hot and steamy (not boiling). Melt butter in the empty pasta pot; whisk in flour, then hot milk mixture. Continue to whisk until thick and bubbly, 3 to 4 minutes. Whisk in mustard, Parmesan and pepper. Turn off heat, stir in cheddar until melted.
• Add drained pasta (and optional flavoring ingredients, see notes) to sauce, and stir until everything is well combined over low heat. Stir to heat through, and thin with a little water if the sauce is too thick. Serve hot.

CREAMY MACARONI & CHEESE - FOR TWO OR ONE

Steps:

• Preheat oven at 350°F.
• Cook pasta in boiling salted water until al-dente. Drain and set aside.
• Heat the milk in the microwave, on high for 1-1/2 minutes.
• In a medium saucepan, melt butter. Add salt, pepper and chopped onion. Sauté on medium heat, until the onion is transparent and soft, but not brown.
• Sprinkle the flour on top, and allow the butter to absorb some of it before stirring.
• Add the hot milk in 3 additions, stirring constantly. The mixture will get thick very quickly.
• After the final addition of milk, continue heating the mixture, on medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbly.
• *Remove from heat* and stir in the grated cheese, chives and red pepper flakes.
• Add the drained pasta and mix well.
• Fold in the cubed cheese.
• Pour into two greased onion soup bowls.
• Bake for 20 - 25 minutes.
• Allow to cool a bit before serving.

CREAMY MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees and position an oven rack in upper third of oven. Use 1 tablespoon butter to grease a 9-inch round or square baking pan.
• In a blender, purée cottage cheese, milk, mustard, cayenne, nutmeg and salt and pepper. Reserve 1/4 cup grated Cheddar for topping. In a large bowl, combine remaining grated Cheddar, milk mixture and uncooked pasta. Pour into prepared pan, cover tightly with foil and bake 30 minutes.
• Uncover pan, stir gently, sprinkle with reserved cheese and dot with remaining tablespoon butter. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes more, until browned. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

CREAMIEST MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add macaroni and 2 ½ teaspoons salt and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 6 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Shred Cheddar cheese by hand or in a food processor; set aside.
• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Whisk in mustard powder, then 3 ½ cups milk. Whisk occasionally until mixture comes to a simmer, then let simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add cream cheese and cook, stirring often, until thick, creamy, and smooth, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 1 ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, and cayenne.
• Stir in 2 cups shredded Cheddar. Turn off the heat and let cheese melt. Stir in cooked macaroni. Add up to ¼ cup milk if you feel like the mixture is too thick.
• Layer ½ of the pasta mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with 1 ½ cups Cheddar. Spread remaining pasta mixture over top and sprinkle with remaining Cheddar.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden and bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes.

CREAMY SALMON MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
• Place salmon in a 2-quart baking dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Cook salmon in the oven for 10 to 11 minutes. Salmon will only be partially cooked; it will continue cooking later. Leave the oven on.
• While salmon cooks, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add macaroni noodles and cook to al dente, 10 to 11 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• While noodles cook, place a large pan on the stove over medium-high heat and add butter, stirring occasionally as it melts. If the butter is browning, reduce heat. You want the butter just to melt, but not to start browning.
• Whisk flour into the melted butter. If it gets a little lumpy, just keep whisking until you have a smooth and creamy roux base. Cook the flour mixture for at least 1 minute, whisking regularly, and adjusting the heat if needed.
• Begin whisking milk and half-and-half into the roux, start with about half of the liquid. Whisk until well incorporated and smooth, then continue whisking in remaining milk and half-and-half until everything is well blended into the roux. Increase heat until mixture begins to bubble and thickens, then reduce heat and stir in the cheeses (reserve about 1/2 cup of grated cheese for the top). Whisk until smooth, thick, and creamy. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
• Stir the drained macaroni noodles into the cheese sauce; break the par-cooked salmon up into large chunks and add that to the pan as well. Stir gently to evenly distribute the salmon and coat all of the noodles in the sauce. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with reserved grated cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until hot and bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes.

CREAM-CHEESY MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Spray a 9x13" glass casserole dish with cooking spray.
• Set aside.
• Cook the pasta according to package directions, in a large pot.
• Drain, rinse, and return to the large pot.
• Set aside.
• In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.
• Add the flour, and cook until bubbly (about a minute).
• Add the milk slowly, stirring after each addition and cook until slightly thickened.
• Add the cream cheese, again stirring until completely melted.
• Season with salt.
• Remove from heat.
• Carefully pour the cream cheese mixture over the pasta, stirring gently to combine.
• Add the shredded cheddar cheese, stirring to combine.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish, top with bread crumbs if desired, and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.