Crisp And Creamy Mac And Cheese Recipes

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.

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.

CRISPY BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish; set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs for al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain.
• Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, until smooth and lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Add the bay leaf, cayenne and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, whisking occasionally, until the sauce comes to a simmer and thickens slightly, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Remove the bay leaf from the sauce and whisk in the monterey jack, gruyere and cheddar one cheese at a time, allowing each cheese to melt before adding more. Add the pasta and stir until coated, adding the reserved cooking water as needed to loosen (the sauce will thicken as it bakes).
• Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the microwave. Add the panko, parmesan and a pinch of salt; stir to combine. Scatter over the pasta and bake until the crumbs are browned and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes.

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.

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.

'GOT SOME CRUST' MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch glass baking dish.
• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the macaroni, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain and mix with half of the butter.
• While the macaroni is boiling, melt the remaining butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onions, and cook until the onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the flour, and cook 5 minutes longer. Add the milk and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Cook and stir until the milk has thickened, about 10 minutes. Once thick and smooth, stir in the salt, white pepper, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, mustard, 2 cups of Cheddar cheese, and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheeses have melted, then stir in the macaroni until evenly coated. Scrape into the prepared baking dish, and smooth the top. Toss the remaining 1 cup Cheddar cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese with the dry bread crumbs in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the macaroni.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the macaroni is hot and the crust is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

CRISP AND CREAMY MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Cook pasta as directed on package, omitting salt.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in large saucepan on medium heat. Add onions; cook 3 min. or until crisp-tender, stirring frequently. Add flour; cook and stir 1 min. Gradually add milk; cook 5 min., stirring constantly. Simmer on medium-low heat 10 min. or until slightly thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Add 1-1/2 cups cheese; stir until melted.
• Drain pasta. Add to cheese sauce; stir until evenly coated. Spoon into 2-qt. casserole sprayed with cooking spray; top with remaining cheese, bacon and crushed chips.
• Bake 20 to 25 min. or until heated through.

SMOOTH & CREAMY MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, coat an 8 inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray,
• cook the macaroni according to the package directions, omitting the salt; drain.
• Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt the butter over high heat; add the flour, salt, and pepper,
• slowly whisk in the evaporated milk and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes, or until the mixture begins to thicken.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the macaroni and the cheese; mix well,
• then pour into the baking dish,
• bake for 20-22 minutes, or until bubbly and heated through.

LIGHT AND CREAMY MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook and drain macaroni as directed on package, omitting salt and adding peas for the last 5 minutes of cooking.
• Meanwhile, in 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat milk, cream cheese and American cheese over medium-low heat, stirring carefully with wire whisk, until cheese is melted.
• Add cooked macaroni and peas to cheese sauce; stir to coat. Let stand 2 to 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Serve topped with croutons.