Upscalemacaroniandcheese Recipes

GOURMET MAC & CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Boil pasta in boiling salted water until very al dente?about 3 minutes less than the box instructions (it will finish in the oven).
• Render pancetta in a large oven-safe pan or French braiser over medium heat until still chewy and not quite crispy, about 20 minutes (it will finish crisping in the oven). Remove pancetta and drain all but 1 tablespoon rendered fat. Add butter, melt and then add flour to make roux. Whisk until smooth, then cook until blonde in color, 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic, Dijon and hot sauce. Whisking vigorously, slowly add milk. Bring to simmer, whisking constantly, then cook, whisking occasionally, about 5 minutes.
• Add fontina, Gruyere, Havarti and blue cheese and season with salt and pepper. Mix in pasta until fully coated. Cover entire top with pancetta and bake until bubbly and gooey, 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with chives and serve immediately.
• Unbaked Gourmet Mac & Cheese can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before baking, and add on another 10 minutes in the oven.

ULTIMATE MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cook macaroni in large saucepan as directed on package for al dente pasta. Rinse under cold water; drain well.
• Melt butter in same saucepan on medium heat. Sprinkle with flour and seasonings. Cook and stir 2 minutes or until well blended. Gradually stir in milk until smooth. Stirring constantly, cook 3 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken. Stir in cheese until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Add macaroni; toss gently to coat. Pour into greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Mix panko and paprika; sprinkle evenly over top.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown on top. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

ULTIMATE MAC 'N' CHEESE CASSEROLE FOR TWO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and lightly spray a 2-quart oven-safe casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente, following the directions on the pasta package. (You'll want it to still have a bite to it because it will finish cooking in the oven.) Drain well.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking vigorously, 1 to 2 minutes. Continue to whisk as you add the milk, then let the mixture gently come to a simmer and thicken, about 5 minutes.
• Add the Cheddar and gruyere and stir together with a spatula until all the cheese has melted. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove the skillet from the heat.
• Add the pasta to the cheese sauce and gently toss until everything is covered. Sprinkle half the bacon into the skillet and toss to incorporate. Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Top with the remainder of the bacon, then bake, uncovered, until the mixture is bubbly and the pasta is cooked through, 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

GROWN UP MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in 1 layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is crisp. Remove the pan carefully from the oven - there will be hot grease in the pan! Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and crumble when it is cool enough to handle.
• Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.
• Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt the butter in a medium pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or 2 more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, blue cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and crumbled bacon and stir well. Pour into 2 individual size gratin dishes.
• Place the bread slices in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until you have coarse crumbs. Add the basil and pulse to combine. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top of the pasta. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

MACARONI AND CHEESE II

Steps:

• Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain.
• In a large bowl, combine condensed soup, milk, mustard, and pepper. Stir in macaroni. Transfer mixture into a greased 2 quart casserole. Combine bread crumbs and melted butter or margarine in a cup. Sprinkle over macaroni mixture.
• Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 25 minutes, or until hot and bubbling.

OUR FAVORITE MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in the middle of oven. Butter the baking dish.
• Make the topping:
• In a large skillet over medium heat, heat butter and oil until butter foam subsides. Add panko and garlic; cook, stirring, until crumbs are golden brown, 4-6 minutes. Transfer crumbs to a medium bowl, stir in Parmesan and salt, and set aside.
• Prepare the macaroni and sauce:
• Set a large, covered pot of salted water over high heat to boil. Add macaroni and cook until just al dente (avoid overcooking). Drain macaroni and set aside.
• In a large wide pot over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Sprinkle flour over butter, whisking to incorporate and make a roux. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until roux is light golden, about 4 minutes. Gradually pour in milk and cream, whisking constantly to incorporate and make a béchamel sauce. Raise heat to medium-high and bring sauce to a low boil, whisking constantly. Reduce to a simmer, whisking occasionally, and cook until béchamel sauce is thick and coats the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes more.
• Add 2 tsp. salt, pepper, and mustard powder. Add the cheeses in three batches, whisking until each addition is completely melted before adding more. Remove from heat.
• Add the drained macaroni to the pot with the cheese sauce and stir well to coat. Transfer macaroni mixture to the buttered baking dish and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle topping evenly over macaroni and bake until golden and bubbling, 18-22 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.

UPSCALE MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add bell peppers and celery and saute until just beginning to soften, about 7 minutes.
• Remove from heat; dseason with salt and pepper.
• Combine cream, half and half, and blue cheese in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until cheese melts. Remove from heat.
• Add celery seeds.
• Season sauce with cayenne, salt and pepper.
• Beat yolks in medium bowl to blend.
• Gradually whisk in half of cheese sauce.
• Return mixture to saucepan and whisk to blend.
• Add celery leaves.
• Butter 13x9" baking dish.
• Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Return to same pot.
• Add sauce and vegetables; stir to blend.
• Transfer to baking dish.
• Can be made one day ahead, cover and chill. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before continuing.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Sprinkle Parmesan over surface of pasta.
• Bake until pasta is heated through, sauce is bubbling, and top is beginning to brown, about 25 minutes.

SOUR CREAM MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook elbow macaroni until cook al dente.
• Drain and place in a 2-quart casserole.
• Add cheese, sour cream, butter and salt. Mix well.
• Combine bread crumbs and melted butter and sprinkle over macaroni.
• Bake in 350ºF. oven approximately 30 minutes.

UPSCALE MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers and celery and sauté until just beginning to soften, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.
• Combine cream, half and half and blue cheese in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until cheese melts. Remove from heat. Add celery seeds. Season sauce with cayenne, salt and pepper. Beat yolks in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in half of cheese sauce. Return mixture to saucepan and whisk to blend. Add celery leaves.
• Butter 13 3/4x10 1/2x2 3/4-inch (4-quart capacity) oval baking dish. Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Return to same pot. Add sauce and vegetables; stir to blend. Transfer to baking dish. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before continuing.)
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Sprinkle Parmesan over surface of pasta. Bake until pasta is heated through, sauce is bubbling and top is beginning to brown, about 25 minutes.