Macaroni and Cheese from scratch

[Conservative Hippie]

Anyone have a good recipe for mac and cheese from scratch? I had one once, but the only thing I remember is it called for 5 cups of milk and 5 cups of shredded cheese. It's been so long, but it seems like I should just make a roux, add the milk, then add the cheese?

 

[hiwaygal]

best one I've found is Alton Browns:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/baked-macaroni-and-cheese-recipe/index.html

 

[Missy1961]

Here's another one:

http://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/family-favorite-macaroni-and-cheese-recipe/1/print/

It's pretty easy, you described the steps.

 

[bettymae1121]

Alton Browns is very good, not very hard either!

 

[okeydokey]

The easiest one ever is as follows:

Boil one pound of elbows
layer them in a deep dish sprayed with cooking spray along with:

1 pound of white american chese, from the deli, cubed.

Pour in 1 - 2 cans of evaporated milk. Sprinkle with salt.

Bake at 350 for 20 or so minutes. Stir it up. Bake about 20 more minutes, stir it up.

 

[dngnb8]

Anyone have a good recipe for mac and cheese from scratch? I had one once, but the only thing I remember is it called for 5 cups of milk and 5 cups of shredded cheese. It's been so long, but it seems like I should just make a roux, add the milk, then add the cheese?

Not really a roux, but you dust your cheese with flour and it helps it become cheesy.

My suggestion is to plug into the video from Alton Browns good eats. He had a show on this topic and the technical portion of the show was very informative

 

[AKL_Megs]

This is SO funny. I almost posted the exact same thread this AM, and then I just decided to use the SouthernLiving recipe...

http://www.southernliving.com/food/how-to/macaroni-and-cheese-recipes-00400000056279/

 

[Praying Colonel]

Saw this on Cooking Channel a couple of weeks ago and it looked amazing:

Skillet Bacon Mac and Cheese

 

[Jennasis]

Another vote for Alton Brown's recipe! We also make his baked mac and cheese. Delish!

 

[luvmy3]

This is the one I make. Its from cooking light and where it calls for 3 oz. processed cheese like velveeta light, I use regular.

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/creamy-four-cheese-macaroni-10000000521124/

 

[mjkacmom]

Anyone have a good recipe for mac and cheese from scratch? I had one once, but the only thing I remember is it called for 5 cups of milk and 5 cups of shredded cheese. It's been so long, but it seems like I should just make a roux, add the milk, then add the cheese?

Yep, but I think you use less cheese. Bake it for about 1/2 hour.

 

[cabanafrau]

I made this one from Eating Well a few weeks ago & had no leftovers.

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/baked_mac_cheese.html


Delivered all of the comfort food taste & not so much of the stuff that's not so good for you.

 

[marcyinPA]

I have a good one, from a parent at my preschool who made it for a teacher dinner. After several bad recipes, this is my "go to" recipe now.

6 TBSP unsalted butter
5 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup flour
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
4 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
1-2 cups Pecorino Romano cheese (I use whatever I have, which is usually Kraft parmesan in a bottle!)
1 lb. elbow macaroni

Preheat oven to 375. Butter casserole dish (9x13). Warm milk in saucepan over medium heat. Melt butter in a pot over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook and stir one minute.

Whisk hot milk into roux a little at a time and keep smooth. Continue cooking and whisking until thick and bubbly, about 8-12 minutes.

Remove from heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, peppers and cheeses. Set aside.
Cook pasta 2-3 minutes. Rinse under cold water. Drain.
Stir pasta into cheese sauce. Pour mixture into prepared casserole. Bake until golden, about 30 minutes.

**I use skim milk, I cut back on the salt, and I usually half the recipe. This is best when eaten immediately out of the oven.

 

[Buckalew11]

Okeydokey's recipes in like my grandmother's.

My dd made the Pioneer Woman's mac and cheese (just google her). She loved it and the football team said it was the best they'd ever eaten. I'm going to try Alton Brown's also, sounds wonderful!

 

[tvguy]

Anyone have a good recipe for mac and cheese from scratch? I had one once, but the only thing I remember is it called for 5 cups of milk and 5 cups of shredded cheese. It's been so long, but it seems like I should just make a roux, add the milk, then add the cheese?

I like Macaroni and CHEESE.

1 pound elbo macaroni
1 pound shredded Extra Sharp Cheddar.
5 cups whole milk (or half and half)
Make the roux, add the milk, bring to a boil, back off heat, slowing stir in cheese until you have sauce. Pour it on the cooked macaroni, bake for 35 minutes at 350.
I haven't done this yet myself, but a friend does this, sprinkle blue cheese on the top right after you take it out of the oven.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I like this Martha Stewart recipe best (though I leave out the ham):

http://www.marthastewart.com/337292...ood/comfort-foods-center/comfort-foods-dishes

 

[kwelch10377]

here is what I usually make:

1/2 cup flour and 1 stick of butter to make a roux, then add 5 cups of milk and stir with a wisk until it leaves a coating on a wooden spoon. I add 1 lb of cheddar, the small block of velvetta and then about 5-6 slices of american cheese. Once all melted I add it to 1lb of cooked pasta. I then melt some butter in a pan and toast some torn up white bread, then add it to the top of the pan of mac and cheese. I cook in the oven on 375 for 45-60 mins.

It is soooo good, but sooo bad that I only make it once or twice a year.

 

[Seahunt]

I printed this weird Baking Sheet Mac and Cheese recipe out the other day from Yahoo and plan on trying it soon

Don't know how it will turn out, but I do like how EZ it sounds

Serves 6
3 tablespoons butter
12 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
1 pound pasta spirals (or other small shape)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
Salt
2/3 cups whole milk

1. Heat oven to 475 degrees. Use one tablespoon butter to thickly grease a 11-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet. Combine the grated cheeses and set aside 2 heaping cups for topping.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 6 minutes. Drain.

3. In a large bowl, toss together the pasta, cheeses, cayenne and salt to taste. Spread the mixture in the baking sheet and evenly pour the milk over the surface. Sprinkle the reserved cheese on top, dot with the remaining butter and bake, uncovered, until golden and crisp, about 15 minutes.

http://www.food52.com/blog/302_baking_sheet_macaroni_and_cheese

That recipe was mentioned in the article with Martha Stewart's recipe, which I want to try too:

Martha Stewart's Macaroni and Cheese

Adapted slightly from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The Original Classics (Clarkson Potter, 2007)

Serves 12, but easily halved

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for dish
6 slices good white bread, crusts removed, torn or diced into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces
5 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
4 1/2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese (about 18 ounces)
2 cups grated Gruyere cheese (about 8 ounces) or 1 1/4 cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese (about 5 ounces)
1 pound elbow macaroni (or other small pasta shape)

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Place bread in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter (alternately, melt butter in the microwave). Pour butter into bowl with bread, and toss. Set breadcrumbs aside. Pull out 1 1/2 cups of grated cheddar, and 1/2 cup Gruyere or 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano, and reserve.

2. Fill a large pot with water; bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook 2 to 3 minutes less than manufacturer's directions, until the outside of pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone. (Different brands of macaroni cook at different rates; be sure to read the instructions.) Transfer macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Set aside.

3. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk. In the same pot you used for boiling the pasta, melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook, whisking, 1 minute.

4. While whisking, slowly pour in hot milk. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.

5. Remove pan from heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar cheese, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyere or 1 cup Pecorino Romano. Stir reserved macaroni into the cheese sauce.

6. Pour mixture into prepared dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Gruyere or 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano, and breadcrumbs over top. Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes. If after 30 minutes, it's not browned to your liking, broil the topping rather than leaving it in the oven, which may cause the pasta to overcook and sauce to dry out. Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool 5 minutes; serve hot.

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/martha-stewarts-perfect-baked-macaroni-cheese-2583441

 

[It'sOffToDisneyWeGo]

I got this from the Kroger magazine (recipe courtesy Chef John K. C.M.C. and Cooks magazine)

Gourmet macaroni and cheese

1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 1/4 cups milk
1 tbsp. instant minced onion
2 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 lb mix of shredded cheddar, fontina and feta cheese
3 1/3 cups cooked macaroni (1 3/4 cups raw)
buttered bread crumbs

Melt butter in a 2 quart skillet over low heat. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in milk. Add onion, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over medium heat until thickened. Stir cheese until melted.

Combine cooked macaroni and cheese sauce, and place in a 1 1/2 quart greased baking dish. Sprinkle with buttered bread crumbs. Bake in oven at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes. Refrigerate leftovers. Serves 8.


We did not have any leftovers. My kids do not like onions so I also left that step off. Everyone really enjoyed it.

 

[Mermaid02]

I make a white sauce with about 1/2 c flour, 1 stick of BUTTER and 4 cups of milk. Then I add 1 1/2 pounds of cheese- whatever I'm in the mood for- and 1 pound of macaroni. I made it for work the other day and everyone was saying it was the best mac and cheese they had ever had! I don't make it often... not with a fat and calorie count like it has!!