How do you make good homemade mac and cheese?

Question

I want to make it for thanksgiving and I like alot of cheese so can somebody help me out?

Answer 1

Use the very best Sharp cheddar you can find. Grate it finely. Use about a pound for a pound of macaroni.
Heat your oven to 350 degrees F.
boil up the noodles, drain and hold.
melt a stick of butter in a sauce pan (large enough to hold the noodles) stir in a tablespoon or so (up to 1/4 cup) of flour to thicken. This will vary due to the weather. If it's raining, you may need more.
Flavor with salt, pepper, dry mustard.
whisk in 1 cup cold whole milk until smooth. Heat until thick, stirring constantly but gently.
Add the noodles, stirring well. Stir in the cheese,
folding the noodles over and over so they don't break up.
butter a casserole. Fill with cheese & noodles. Bake for 15 minutes until it binds.
Optional: crunchy topping of crushed corn flakes or bread crumbs. Try it out a few times if this is the first time you've made a cheese sauce. Enjoy!

Answer 2

I like the kind w/ a white sauce that has cheese melted in it, rather than a custard-type w/ raw eggs that you have to bake.


Mac & Cheese

Kosher salt
Vegetable oil
1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi
1 quart milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
12 ounces Gruyere, grated (4 cups)
8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 pound fresh tomatoes (4 small)
1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed)

Preheat the oven to 375º F. 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 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) 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 two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish.
Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

--Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Family Style Cookbook

Answer 3

Here's a good one.
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni
9 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup shredded Muenster cheese(you can skip all the different kinds of cheese and use just sharp cheddar)
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
8 ounces cubed processed cheese food
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 t dry mustard
DIRECTIONS
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 well and return to cooking pot.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 8 tablespoons butter; stir into the macaroni.
In a large bowl, combine the Muenster cheese, mild and sharp Cheddar cheeses, Monterey Jack cheese and dry mustard; mix well.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Add the half and half, 1 1/2 cups of cheese mixture, cubed processed cheese food, and eggs to macaroni; mix together and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a lightly greased deep 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese mixture and 1 tablespoon of butter.
Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes or until hot and bubbling around the edges; serve.

Answer 4

I like this one. Its creamy and has some good, but different, cheeses in it.

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

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.

Answer 5

"Triple-Cheese Macaroni" - 6 servings

1 (16 oz.) pkg. elbow macaroni
2 eggs
1 (12 oz.) evaporated milk
1/4 cup butter; melted
2 tbsp. prepared mustard
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1 tsp. pepper
8 oz. process cheese (Velveeta); melted
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded mild Cheddar cheese; divided
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese; divided

Cook macaroni according to package directions.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, butter, mustard, seasoned salt and pepper until combined. Stir in the process cheese and 1 1/2 cups of each Cheddar cheese.
Drain macaroni; stir into cheese mixture. Pour into a greased 3-quart baking dish; top with remaining cheeses. Bake uncovered at 350* for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and edges are bubbly.

Answer 6

Miami Macaroni and Wisconsin Cheese


Makes 12 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups pancetta in 1/4" dice
3/4 loaf of 12" x 2" baguette (dry)
8 ounces unsalted butter
1 1/2 pound rotelli (corkscrew) pasta
1 1/2 quart (6 cups) heavy cream
2 1/2 cups milk
8 ounces (2 cups) Wisconsin Parmesan cheese, finely grated and divided
12 ounces (3 cups) Wisconsin Fontina cheese, cut in 1/4" cubes and chilled
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Spread the pancetta on a baking pan and bake for 6 to 8 minutes, or until just crispy. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

Crush and crumble the baguette into semi-fine bread crumbs, using a food processor if you wish. You will have about 2 cups.

In a large sauté pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add crumbs and toss to coat, toasting and stirring frequently until golden brown. Set aside.

Boil the rotelli in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside in a large mixing bowl.

Heat a large sauce pan. Add heavy cream and milk. Bring to boil. Simmer until reduced by one-third. Slowly whisk in 1 1/4 cups Parmesan cheese and the reserved pancetta. Continue to simmer and reduce to a thick and creamy consistency.

Add the cream mixture to the pasta along with the Fontina cheese. Toss quickly and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Butter twelve 5- to 6-ounce individual casserole dishes (or one 12" x 18" casserole). Fill the dishes with the rotelli. Divide breadcrumbs and remaining Parmesan cheese over the tops. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes (longer if in large pan), or until hot and bubbly. Serve immediately.

Answer 7

MACARONI AND CHEESE
When preparing the following pastas in advance (up to six hours), keep them covered and chilled and then let them come to room temperature before baking.
7 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups milk
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
1 pound elbow macaroni
3 cups coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (about 12 ounces)
1 1/3 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 4 ounces)
1 cup fresh bread crumbs



Preheat oven to 350°F. and butter a 3- to 4-quart gratin dish or other shallow baking dish.
In a heavy saucepan melt 6 tablespoons butter over moderately low heat. Add flour and cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Add milk in a stream, whisking, and bring to a boil, whisking. Add mustard, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste and simmer sauce, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 2 minutes.

In a kettle of salted boiling water cook macaroni until just al dente, about 7 minutes, and drain well. In a large bowl stir together macaroni, sauce, Cheddar, and 1 cup Parmesan and transfer to prepared dish.

In a small bowl stir together bread crumbs and remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan and sprinkle evenly over macaroni. Cut remaining 1 tablespoon butter into bits and scatter over topping.

Bake macaroni in middle of oven 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.

Serves 6 to 8 as entrée or 8 to 10 as a side dish.

Answer 8

boil your noodles, then drain. add velveeta or whatever type of cheese you like to the pot and stir pour a little bit of milk to help the cheese melt, while the fire is low. add salt & pepper to taste. place in a dish and sprinkle more cheese on top. place in the oven on 350 until the cheese on top begins to brown. remove and serve--caution it will be hot!!

for a twist add bacon bits while it's on the stove--awesome!!