Original Macaroni And Cheese With Variations Recipes

CLASSIC MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• Grease a 2 quart casserole dish. Place a quarter of the macaroni in the bottom, followed by an even layer of one-quarter of the cheese slices. Dot with butter and season with salt and pepper. Repeat layering three times. Pour evaporated milk evenly over the top of all.
• Bake, uncovered, for one hour, or until top is golden brown.

ORIGINAL MACARONI AND CHEESE - (WITH VARIATIONS)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350. Coat the bottom of a 7x11-inch or 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.
• In a food processor, combine the breadcrumbs, butter and parmesan. Pulse on and off until the butter is completely and evenly blended into the crumbs.
• In medium saucepan, bring the broth and nutmeg to a boil over high heat. Stir in the macaroni, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until very tender, 8-10 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolk.
• Reserving the cooking broth, drain the pasta. One tablespoon at a time, beat 1/4 cup of the reserved broth into the egg yolk. Add the pasta and toss to coat well.
• Layer the macaroni into the baking dish in three layers, sprinkling with cheddar between each. End with a layer of cheddar, then top with the bread crumb mixture.
• Bake for 16-18 minutes, until the crumb topping is nicely browned.
• Italian-Ish Macaroni Gratin: Add 1/2 teaspoon dried basil and 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano to the breadcrumb. Increase the broth to 4 1/2 cups. Omit the nutmeg. Add 1/3 cup slivered sun-dried tomatoes when you cook the pasta. Add 1/2 cup minced fresh basil when you toss the pasta with the egg yolk. Use 1 cup cheddar and add 3/4 cup provolone.
• Healthier Macaroni Gratin: Reduce the breadcrumbs to 1 cup. Use 4 teaspoons olive oil instead of butter. Use reduced-sodium broth. Use 1 1/2 cups whole wheat macaroni . Add 1 cup cut green beans to the pasta for the last 5 minutes of cooking. Use reduced-fat cheddar.
• Turkey & Mac 'N' Cheese Casserole: Reduce the broth to 2 cups and the macaroni to 1 cup. Use a whole egg instead of an egg yolk. Beat 3/4 cup plain lowfat yogurt into the egg along with the 1/4 cup broth. Toss the macaroni with the yogurt mixture and 1 cup diced roast turkey, 1 cup peas and 1/4 cup minced chives or scallion greens. Layer with cheese and top with breadcrumbs as in the original recipe.
• Mexi-Mac: Add 1/2 teaspoon cumin to the breadcrumb mixture. Omit the nutmeg. Add 1/2 cup minced Cilantro when you toss the drained pasta with the egg yolk. Use pepper jack instead of cheddar.

OLD-FASHIONED MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 1.5-quart baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.
• Add cooked macaroni, butter, cheese, salt, and pepper to the greased dish.
• Whisk together eggs and milk in a bowl. Pour the mixture over the macaroni.
• Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

SUPER DELUXE OLD FASHIONED MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a non-reactive saucepan. When bubbly whisk in flour and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring every now and then. Slowly whisk in the milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking on occasion for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pan from heat and whisk in grated cheese. Stir vigorously just until cheese has melted. Then whisk in heavy cream to adjust the texture and season to taste with salt and cayenne pepper. In a mixing bowl combine sauce with sun dried tomatoes and drained macaroni and adjust seasoning. Transfer mixture to a 13 x 9-inch baking pan and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle bread crumbs on top and dot with remaining 4 tablespoons of butter. Bake until hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

OLD-FASHIONED MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook macaroni in boiling water until almost tender; drain. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, melt butter. Stir in the flour, salt, mustard, pepper and pepper sauce until smooth. Cook for 1 minute or until bubbly. Stir in the macaroni, milk and 4 cups cheese. , Transfer to an ungreased 13x9-in. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until bubbly. Uncover; sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

OLD FASHIONED MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Prepare the elbow macaroni according to package directions.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium high heat. Stir in the flour until a cream colored paste forms. Then pour in the milk and stir constantly until this comes to a hard boil, then stir for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
• When the macaroni is cooked, spread 1/2 of it into the bottom of a lightly greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Then layer 1/2 of the grated onion, 1/2 of the salt and pepper and 1/2 of each of the cheeses. Repeat this one more time: macaroni, onion, salt and pepper and cheeses, and then pour the reserved white sauce over all. Top off with small pats of butter to taste.
• Cover and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes.

BEST-EVER MACARONI AND CHEESE WITH VARIATIONS

Steps:

• In large pot, cook pasta according to package directions; reserve 1/2 cup cooking water before draining. In small skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat; stir in breadcrumbs. Cook, stirring, until browned, 2 minutes. Remove from skillet; reserve.
• For cheese sauce, in pasta pot, melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat; whisk in flour, mustard, salt and pepper until blended. Whisk in milk; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring, until thickened, 1 minute. Stir in 1 2/3 cups cheddar, fontina and reserved water until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in pasta until coated with sauce. Serve sprinkled with remaining 1/3 cup cheddar, reserved breadcrumbs and parsley.
• For Mac 'n Cheese Pizza.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat 12 inch round pizza pan with cooking spray.
• Toss 10 frozen cocktail-size meatballs (thawed and halved) with 1/4 cup pizza sauce and 1/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning; reserve.
• Prepare Best-Ever Macaroni and Cheese, substituting spaghetti for cavatappi and omitting reserved cooking water and breadcrumb mixture; in cheese sauce, omit cheddar, stirring 1 cup mozzarella cheese into sauce along with the 1 cup of shredded fontina cheese.
• Spread pasta mixture in pan. Top with 3/4 cup pizza sauce then sprinkle with additional 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese. Top with reserved meatballs, cut sides down. Bake until cheese melts, 20 minutes. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley.
• For South-of-the-Border Mac 'n Cheese Bake.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Prepare Best-Ever Macaroni 'n Cheese, substituting wagon wheel pasta for cavatappi and omitting breadcrumb mixture; in cheese sauce, omit cheddar and fontina, substituting 1 cup jarred salsa con queso and 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese, stirring all of cheese into sauce.
• Stir 1 link (4 oz) chorizo sausage, sliced, into sauce along with wagon wheel pasta. Transfer pasta mixture to 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with 2 cups crushed white tortilla chips (about 20 chips). Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro.
• Each recipe serves 6 people.