Mac and Cheese

How many variations are there of Macaroni and Cheese? Probably as many variations as people who cook up Mac and Cheese.

It seems that one person can take another's recipe, and soon, the recipe is getting tweaked just enough to make it your own.

Here are six Mac and Cheese recipes to get you started on the American classic. Enjoy!

CREAMY MACARONI AND CHEESE

This comes from Julia Moskin in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “Here is Julia Moskin's fantasy of what this dish should be: nothing more than tender elbows of pasta suspended in pure molten cheddar, with a chewy, golden-brown crust of cheese on top.” Time: 1 hour 40 minutes; makes 6 to 8 servings.

To view this oneline, click here.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup cottage cheese (not lowfat)

2 cups milk (not skim)

1 teaspoon dry mustard

Pinch cayenne

Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pound sharp or extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1/2 pound elbow pasta, uncooked

Preparation

Heat oven to 375 degrees and position an oven rack in upper third of oven. Use 1 tablespoon butter to butter a 9-inch round or square baking pan.

In a blender, purée cottage cheese, milk, mustard, cayenne, nutmeg and salt and pepper together. Reserve 1/4 cup grated cheese for topping. In a large bowl, combine remaining grated cheese, 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.

BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE

This comes from Alton Brown of The Food Network’s Good Eats. Total Time: 1 hr 5 min; Prep: 20 min; Cook: 45 min; Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Level: Easy

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/baked-macaroni-and-cheese-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

1/2 pound elbow macaroni

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon powdered mustard

3 cups milk

1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 large egg

12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Fresh black pepper

Topping:

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup panko bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.

Temper in the egg. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.

Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.

Remember to save leftovers for fried Macaroni and Cheese.

BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE

This is from Katie Workman, About.com’s Cooking for Families expert. Katie wrote, “My kids like Kraft macaroni and cheese. There, I said it. I haven’t made it in a long time although, like most of us, I have succumbed to the call of the blue box at times. But every now when they eat it at a friend’s house, I definitely get to hear about it later: ‘Kiefer gets to have the macaroni and cheese in the box every night! Why can’t we ever have that?’

“Still, they seem to be willing to shovel in this homemade version at a pretty fast clip, and we can pronounce all of the ingredients. Laced with a blend of cheeses and enriched with milk and cream, even grown-up guests tend to sigh with pleasure while looking at the browned panko crust sitting atop a bubbling casserole of cavatelli nestled in a sauce fragrant with a mixture of Gruyère and cheddar. (Although we call it macaroni and cheese, the actual pasta shape is up for grabs.) It’s hard to think of a single dish with more universal kid appeal.

“The Dijon mustard and red pepper flakes give the macaroni and cheese a little kick, a little edge, and save the dish from being too intensively rich and creamy (not that there’s anything wrong with that). And, no, this isn’t low fat. Thanks for asking.”

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Yield: Serves 6-8

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

For the Panko Topping

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs, see Note)

1⁄2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese

​For the Pasta and Cheese Sauce

4 tablespoons (1⁄2 stick) unsalted butter, plus butter for greasing the baking dish

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1⁄2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (optional)

4 1⁄2 cups 2-percent or whole milk (however indulgent you’re feeling)

1 cups heavy (whipping) cream

5 cups coarsely grated flavorful cheese, such as sharp cheddar or Gruyère, or a mix (see Note below)

1⁄2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

4 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 1⁄2 teaspoons kosher or coarse salt, or more to taste

1⁄2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste

1 1⁄2 packages (24 ounces) dried cavatelli, ziti, penne, or any short pasta

Preparations

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter a shallow 4-quart baking dish.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it generously, and let the water return to a boil.

Meanwhile, make the panko topping: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat or place it in a medium-size microwave-safe dish and heat it in a microwave oven until melted, 15 seconds. Add the panko and the Parmesan and stir until well combined. Set the panko topping aside.

Make the pasta and sauce: Melt the butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and red pepper flakes, if using. Cook, stirring, until the flour is blond in color, about 4 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high and let come to a simmer, whisking frequently. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer until it starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Add the cream, grated cheese, Parmesan, mustard, salt, and black pepper, stirring until everything is smooth. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and/or black pepper as necessary.Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook it until barely al dente (follow the package directions but stop a minute or two before the pasta is completely tender). Set aside 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.

Whisk the reserved pasta cooking water into the cheese sauce, combining it thoroughly. Add the pasta to the cheese sauce and stir to combine. Spoon the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. There will appear to be a lot of sauce. Some of it will be absorbed into the pasta as it cooks, and in my book saucy is better than dry.

Sprinkle the panko topping evenly over the pasta and bake it until golden and bubbling, 30 to 40 minutes. Let the pasta sit for a few minutes before serving.

Note:

What cheese to use?

Katie wrote, “I keep changing up the cheese in this dish, depending on what I have on hand, and so my mac and cheese never tastes the same twice, which I find part of the thrill. My lovely dish-washing husband, however, has been known to look sadly at the last few globs on the plates and say wistfully, ‘Well, we’ll never eat that again,’ already mourning the delicious, undocumented combination of cheeses that has come and gone.

“Some good basic cheeses to start with are sharp or extra sharp cheddar, Gruyère, Swiss, Manchego, and fontina, or any combination of these. You can also use bits of softer cheeses, like Brie or fresh, mild goat cheese if you have some small pieces lingering about. Remove all rinds you wouldn’t want to see floating around in your mac and cheese and unless you really know your audience, stay away from very potent cheeses like blue cheese or smoked cheese or anything particularly stinky.”

SPINACH MACARONI AND CHEESE

There are probably as many variations of mac and cheese as there are American cooks. This one is from Lori Mama on Food.com. On her Food.com page, Lori wrote, “It's all my father's fault I like to cook and I thank him for it. Ever since he taught me how to fry an egg, it's been a happy adventure ever since.” Works for me!

Of this recipe, Lori added, “Made for my husband.” Makes 4 servings; Total Time: 30 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cooking Time: 15 minutes.

To view this yumminess online, click here.

Ingredients

2 cups macaroni pasta, cooked

1 cup chopped cooked spinach

2 cups hot milk

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup butter

2 tablespoons horseradish

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese

salt and pepper, to taste

freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425.

In medium sized pot, over medium heat, melt butter.

Add the flour and cook for 3 minutes.

Pour in the hot milk and cook until thickened.

Add the spinach, cheese, seasonings, horseradish and mustard.

Mix well.

Combine with the cooked pasta.

Place in a greased cassarole dish.

Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until bubbling.

MACARONI AND CHEESE

This comes from Giada De Laurentiis, and begins, “Creamy three-cheese mac and cheese with Parmesan, mozzarella, fontina and baked ham.”

As Seen On: Everyday Italian. Pasta Potluck.

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Serving Size: Serves 6.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Butter, for greasing dish

12 ounces wide egg noodles

2 cups heavy cream

2 1/2 cups whole milk

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for pasta water

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cups (packed) grated Fontina

3/4 cup (packed) finely grated Parmesan

3/4 cup (packed) grated mozzarella

4 ounces cooked ham, diced, optional

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Butter a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish and set aside. Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Drain well, but do not rinse.

Whisk the cream, milk, flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper in large bowl to blend. Stir in 1 cup Fontina, 1/2 cup Parmesan, 1/2 cup mozzarella, ham, if using, and parsley. Add the noodles and toss to coat. Transfer the noodle mixture to the prepared baking dish. Toss the remaining 1 cup Fontina, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and 1/4 cup mozzarella in a small bowl to blend. Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the noodle mixture. Bake until the sauce bubbles and the cheese melts and begins to brown on top, about 20 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

SLOW COOKER MACARONI AND CHEESE

This comes from country music star Trisha Yearwood, who also stars in The Food Network show Trisha’s Southern Kitchen. Total Time: 3 hr 25 min; Prep: 10 min; Cook: 3 hr 15 min; Yield: 12 servings; Level: Easy

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/trisha-yearwood/crockpot-macaroni-and-cheese-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

Cooking spray

8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked

One 12-ounce can evaporated milk

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1/4 cup (1/2 stick ) of butter, melted

1 teaspoon salt

Dash of pepper

2 large eggs, beaten

Two 10-ounce bricks sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (about 5 cups)

Dash of paprika

Directions

In a large 4-quart slow cooker sprayed with cooking spray, mix the macaroni, evaporated milk, milk, butter, salt, pepper, eggs and all but 1/2 cup of the grated cheese. Sprinkle the reserved cheese over the top of the mixture and then sprinkle with paprika. Cover and cook on low heat for 3 hours and 15 minutes. Turn off the slow cooker, stir the mixture and serve hot.