mac and cheese ideas??

Question

Im tired of plan old mac and cheese, does anyone have any different things they like to add to their mac and cheese?

Answer 1

A great Mac and Cheese place just opened up in New York. I'll paste their menu as it should give you a bunch of ideas for Mac and Cheese that you've probably never thought of. The place is doing very well for itself and the recipes should be pretty self explanatory once you've seen the additions. Enjoy!

ALL-AMERICAN
Just the way you remember it as a kid! Nostalgia at its finest - a tasty blend of American & Cheddar cheeses.

4 CHEESE
Our four cheese delight! Muenster and American with a touch of Gorgonzola, topped off with sharp Cheddar.

CHEESEBURGER
For the Hearty Meat Eater! Ground Beef done to perfection with onions, garlic and a hint of ketchup and mustard. Don't forget the best part - a combination of American and Cheddar cheeses.

MOZZARELLA
Like Neapolitan Pizza? Then you'll love this! Fresh Mozzarella, roasted tomatoes, roasted garlic, and fresh basil. Yum!

GOAT CHEESE
Be swept away to the Mediterranean Sea - Goat cheese, sauteed spinach, kalamata olives, and roasted garlic. You can almost feel the breeze from the water...

GRUYERE
A Swiss Mac that keeps you coming back for more. Gruyere coupled with its partner in crime, slab bacon. Hard to resist!

MANCHEGO
A taste of Spain right at your fingertips! Flavorful Manchego cheese accented by fresh fennel and shallots. Delicious!

BRIE
Mac-n-Cheese for the "upper crust". Creamy Brie, roasted figs, roasted shiitake mushrooms & fresh rosemary. It's addictive!

GARDEN (Lite)
Don't let the "Lite" fool you - this baby is as satisfying as any of the other MACs! Lite Cheddar, Parmesan, roasted cauliflower and portobello mushrooms, roasted garlic, broccoli and scallions.

CAJUN
If you are looking for some kick, here it is. Cheddar & Pepper Jack cheeses, andouille sausage, green pepper, onions, celery, garlic and, of course, some genuine Cajun seasoning.

Answer 2

Garden Skillet Casserole

2 small zucchini, sliced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp. basil leaves, crushed
2 tbsp. butter or margarine
1 (10-3/4 oz.) Cream of Cheddar Soup
3 cups cooked elbow macaroni
2 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 (19 oz.) can tomatoes, drained and well chopped
1/2 tsp. prepared mustard

cook zucchini with onions in basil and butter til tender. Add remaining ingredients. heat through til cheese melts. (also tastes great with a few bread crumbs sprinkled on top before serving.)


OR take the classic mac n cheese by mueller's and add ham and onion...or chicken and broccoli before you bake...Those are some that I've tried and liked.

Answer 3

If you're talking home-made from scratch, use different shapes of pasta, different types of cheeses. The best homemade I've done is like Grandma used to make (we're talking dinosaur here - I'm Grandma now).

Grandma's Macaroni & Cheese

Grandma used the "dump" method of measuring, but the beauty of this one is you can make a little or a lot depending on your need.

Cook enough pasts (try rotini or rotelle) for the number you want to serve.
Make cheese sauce with the basic "white sauce" formula :
For medium thick sauce, combine salt & pepper to taste with 2 Tablespoons flour OR 1 Tablespoon corn starch per 1 cup of milk. Stir into the milk before you heat it, and cook until it begins to thicken. If you don't mind the fat, melt a Tablespoon of butter in the pan first. (I often make with nonfat milk - use whatever you prefer.)
When the sauce begins to thicken, stir in cheese. Try one cup sharp cheddar per cup of sauce (shredded or crumbled) or 1/2 cup cheddar and 1/4 cup parmesan. When the cheese is mostly melted, remove from heat and stir in the cooked, drained pasta. Chop a couple fresh tomatoes and stir in.
Scoop into a baking pan sprayed with cooking spray. Top with a couple slices of bacon and place in a 350F oven until bacon is cooked and cheese is bubbly. Yum!

If you're thinking more along the lines of Kraft dinners, a simple meal my family always called "Slumgullion" was to make the Kraft dinner as directed.
Brown one pound of ground beef and drain. Stir in one can of condensed (undiluted) tomato soup and drained ground beef.

Another thing I like to add to the Kraft dinner type is a handful of frozen broccoli (added while pasta is cooking) and then a handful of cooked frozen shrimp added at the end and stirred just enough to warm up.

Good luck!

Answer 4

Unfortunately, I can't offer any personal selections, as I prefer to have my mac & cheese just the way it is. However, I have posted a link that has quite a few different recipes. Enjoy.

Answer 5

I continuously placed bread on acceptable. What I do is I shrink the bread into little squares and placed the squares right into a frying pan. Then I placed some butter and somewhat cheese on them and saute them till they get golden brown. then you honestly can placed them on acceptable of the mac and cheese. you could also cook dinner up a vegetable to bypass with the mac and cheese.

Answer 6

Drain a can of Italian stewed tomatoes and add the tomatoes to the mac and cheese.

Answer 7

My boyfriend adds hotdogs to his mac and cheese. My mom puts truffled mushrooms on top before she bakes it. I like blending a variety of cheeses into the sauce.

Answer 8

this is my personal favorite, cook up your favorite shape of pasta, drain, put it in a baking dish. add a lg. can of diced tomatoes, drained, a can of sliced black olives, again drained. cube up some cheese like colby or cheddar, whatever you like best. lightly toss this mixture together, then bake at 375 degrees 'til heated through and cheese is melted, maybe 1/2 hr.-45 min. i like to add a little pepper &/or pepper flakes for a "kick." my kids loved it when they were young, we called it "slop macaroni" for lack of a better name. yummy stuff!! good luck with your search!

Answer 9

Add any of the following:

Ham
Ground beef and new potatoes
Tuna and a can of mushrooms
Stag chili

They are all a hit around our houselhold - quick, easy and cheap

Answer 10

Try Monterey Jack instead of cheddar, or add a can of tomatoes.