Macaroni Cheese?

Question

Does anyone have any good recipes for making macaroni cheese?

Answer 1

STOP USING FLOUR FOR THE THICKENING AGENT IT MUFFLES ALL THE FLAVOUR !!!!!!!!!, use this and i gaurantee you wont look back(husbands a well known top chef),
lb of plain mature cheddar cheese grated
1pt of full fat milk
1/2 teaspoon of mustard
1 heaped teaspoon of cornflour
salt and pepper a shake of each
3/4 of a large pack marshals elbow macaroni

put macaroni in pot cook until ready

put conflour and mustard in cup with little milk and use back of teaspoon to make a milky paste

put rest of milk and 3/4 of the grated cheese in pot, add the milky paste, put on a medium heat stirring all the time until it boils, (it will thicken as it comes to the boil

drain macaroni and then add the cooked sauce and stir well, pour into appropriate dish, cover with rest of grated cheese place under grill until cheese is crispy, serve straight away, you can add more salt and pepper to suit when on plate, let me know how u do, you wont get better, no fancy cheeses, onoins ect, keep it simple,

Answer 2

The best macaroni cheese I ever had was when I was on holiday in the Bahamas. It had a gorgeous crispy cheese topping and was a bit spicy. It's very different to the English version but definitely worth a try. Below is a recipe found on the internet for Bahamian Mac & Cheese. Haven't made it yet but if it's the same as the one I had on holiday then it'll be yum!

Ingredients:
1½ cups macaroni
1 small green pepper, chopped
2 cups shredded Chedder Cheese
1 small onion finely chopped
3 medium eggs
1 small bird pepper (any hot pepper chopped)
margarine
Salt & Pepper to taste.
2 cups Carnation evaporated milk.

1. Boil macaroni in salted water until soft.
2. Remove from heat and drain - return to pot under low heat - add onion, pepper, cheese and milk, stirring constantly. Add beaten eggs. Stir well - season to taste.
3. Coat a baking dish with margarine. (The pan I use is 11"x13" appox,) Pour macaroni into the dish. Add a bit of margarine, here and there to the top. Shred more cheese and sprinkle over the mixture. Bake in 350 oven until golden brown. Cut into squares. Can be served hot or cold.
Serves a lot of people - depending on the size of the square.

Answer 3

Try this one - works for me, it's delicious

Ingredients
250g/9oz macaroni
40g/1½oz butter
40g/1½ plain flour
600ml/1pint 1½fl oz milk
250g/9oz grated cheddar
50g/2oz grated Parmesan



Method
1. Cook the macaroni in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for 8-10 minutes; drain well and set aside.
2. Melt the butter over a medium heat in a saucepan slightly larger than that used for the macaroni. Add the flour and stir to form a roux, cooking for a few minutes.
3. Gradually whisk in the milk, a little at a time. Cook for 10-15 minutes to a thickened and smooth sauce.
4. Meanwhile, preheat the grill to hot.
5. Remove the sauce from the hob, add 175g/6oz of the cheese and stir until the cheese is well combined and melted.
6. Add the macaroni to the sauce and mix well. Transfer to a deep suitably-sized ovenproof dish.
7. Sprinkle over the remaining cheddar and the Parmesan and place the dish under the hot grill. Cook until the cheese is browned and bubbling. Serve straightaway

Answer 4

Try the following
Souffleed Macaroni Cheese
Ingredients
6 oz (175 g) macaroni
3 oz (75 g) mascarpone
2 oz (50 g) Gruyère, finely grated
2 oz (50 g) Parmesan
1 oz (25 g) butter
1 medium onion (about 4 oz/110 g), peeled and finely chopped
1 oz (25 g) plain flour
10 fl oz (275 ml) milk
¼ whole nutmeg, freshly grated
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten and 2 large egg whites
salt and freshly milled black pepper

Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 6, 400°F (200°C).

Begin by having all your ingredients weighed out and the cheeses grated. Fill a large saucepan with 4 pints (2.25 litres) of water containing a level dessertspoon of salt and put it on the heat to bring it up to the boil. Then, in a small saucepan, melt the butter over a gentle heat, add the onions and let them soften, without browning and uncovered, for 5 minutes. Then add the flour to the pan, stir it in to make a smooth paste, then gradually add the milk, a little at a time, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon. Then switch to a balloon whisk and keep whisking so you have a smooth sauce. Then add some salt and freshly milled black pepper, as well as the nutmeg, and leave the sauce to cook gently for 5 minutes. After that, turn off the heat and whisk in the mascarpone and egg yolks, followed by the Gruyère and half the Parmesan.

Next place the baking dish in the oven to heat through, then drop the macaroni into the boiling water and, as soon as the water returns to a simmer, give it 4-6 minutes, until al dente (it's going to get a second cooking in the oven). When it has about 1 minute's cooking time left, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Drain the pasta in a colander, give it a quick shake to get rid of the water, then tip it back into the pan and stir in the cheese sauce, turning the pasta over in it so it is evenly coated. Then lightly fold in the egg whites, using a cutting and folding movement so as to retain as much air as possible.

Remove the warm dish from the oven, pour the pasta mixture into it, give it a gentle shake to even the top, then scatter the reserved Parmesan over and return the dish to the oven on a high shelf for 12 minutes or until the top is puffy and lightly browned

or Ingredients
250g/9oz macaroni
40g/1½oz butter
40g/1½ plain flour
600ml/1pint 1½fl oz milk
250g/9oz grated cheddar
50g/2oz grated Parmesan

Method
1. Cook the macaroni in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for 8-10 minutes; drain well and set aside.
2. Melt the butter over a medium heat in a saucepan slightly larger than that used for the macaroni. Add the flour and stir to form a roux, cooking for a few minutes.
3. Gradually whisk in the milk, a little at a time. Cook for 10-15 minutes to a thickened and smooth sauce.
4. Meanwhile, preheat the grill to hot.
5. Remove the sauce from the hob, add 175g/6oz of the cheese and stir until the cheese is well combined and melted.
6. Add the macaroni to the sauce and mix well. Transfer to a deep suitably-sized ovenproof dish.
7. Sprinkle over the remaining cheddar and the Parmesan and place the dish under the hot grill. Cook until the cheese is browned and bubbling. Serve straightaway.

Answer 5

Hi! I've made macaroni cheese from scratch before without a recipe - so you'll just have to trust me...
Get your macaroni and simmer it in water until it is almost cooked perfectly al dente, then rinse it in cold water, drain and leave to the side.
Chop one onion into pieces the size of your little fingernail and slice one small leek into thin rings (leeks are fantastic in anything creamy). Sweat them in a flat pan with a little butter till they are soft (put the lid on if they start to get too fried - don't let the leek brown). I'd probably season them now, salt and pepper. It's worth thinking about a bit of grated nutmeg here but that depends on your type of cheese, really.
In a separate pan, make up a roux: a dessertspoon of flour (any kind - why make things difficult?) into a hot pan, let it get really hot but not toasted (keep it moving) and THEN add the same amount of butter. mix it up till you have a kind of coronary dough happening in the pan, then gradually add milk, stirring over the heat all the time. The first bit of milk will just seem to disappear but keep going till you have a smooth thick cream. At this point I would add some mustard (one of the many varieties that are out there) before continuing to add milk, whilst stirring, until you have a thinner yet unctuous product, more like double cream, I guess. Now add your cheese - a personal matter but I'm going to put some gouda or emmental or gruyere in the next one I make. The cheese should thicken the sauce again (ideally you want the cheese to provide that thick business and not the flour).
Then put the cheese sauce with the sweaty veg and the macaroni in a suitable container, season everything again - not too much salt - add some more cheese on top (maybe a bit of parmesan?) and put in a hot oven for ten minutes or so.
Admittedly, there are no real measurements or timings in there but if you pay attention to what's going on at all points you will get a beautiful result which will delight... whoever you want to delight. And you did it all. Next time get some white wine or spirits in there somewhere...

Answer 6

yes,my dad makes a mean mac and cheese. you need a huge deep pan and milk.I like using 2% it's not to fattening but still has great taste.3-4 bricks of cheese 1lb.each.2 sticks of butter,or marg. I love the white mac and cheese it's sharp cheddar and xx sharp cheddar-all white but you can use what you prefer.Also elbow macaroni prefer maybe 1 1/2 lbs. And some flour not alot. Now you put some elbows in the bottom of the pan and you then cut your cheese into some long slices not to thin and not to thick because you want to repeat this process all the way up and have enough.Now cover the elbows with the cheese and sprinkle a little flour over the cheese don't forget your butter,covering each part but make sure not to over load(yucky)now continue until you reach the top cover with sliced cheese of whatever kind of cheese your using. Fill your pan up with milk.Cover with a lid. I sometimes use pepper on top because it makes it taste all the so much better!!!!!!!.Cook at 350 degrees and when it starts to get where the milk is evaporating and the cheese is melting good probably bout an hour then take lid off and let the top brown.Yummy.Delic /Good luck-pookie

Answer 7

To make the white sauce you will need some plain flour and butter.

Melt a knob of butter into a pan and then pour a some flour mix together until a ball is formed.

The amount that you need depends on how much you want to make.

Start to add milk. Only a bit at a time and stir until it's completely mixed in. You will need to keep adding and stirring until you have a sauce consistency. It will take you a while and you'll get sore arms!

Once you've reached this consistency add your grated cheese, I usually use cheddar but add some blue cheese for a strong flavour as well. Season your sauce with pepper and perhaps some basil. I always find a small amount of english mustard adds a bit of flavour.

Whilst you have been making your sauce you should have had your macaroni on the boil. Check the pack for instructions on length of time to cook. When it's ready drain it and add it to the sauce. Mix through. Add the macaroni cheese to an oven proof dish. Add a few slices of tomato to the top of the dish and sprinkle with parmasan. Put in the oven for about 15 mins or until browned on top at about gas mark 7 or 190 degrees.

Enjoy....hmmmm...if only I wasn't on a diet I would join you

Answer 8

This is kinda like mac and cheese, but better.
Boil macaroni until tender. Drain macaroni when done. Meanwhile, shred some Velveeta cheese and set aside. Cup up about 4-5 pieces of bread into tiny pieces. In a frying pan, melt some butter, about 1 stick, and put in your bread pieces. Fry them until brown and toasty. If not enough butter, add more. But, make sure your bread pieces come out crispy and fried, not soggy. When all of that is done, get a large baking dish and pour in your cooked macaroni, topped with the shredded Velveeta cheese. You can stir these two together real good. Top with the bread crumbs. Bake in a 450 degree oven until the bread crumbs are browned. This is a wonderful substitute for regular old mac and cheese. Enjoy!

Answer 9

For a crispy and rich dish you should use 3 different cheeses:
175g mature/sharp cheddar (grate all the cheeses)
50g gruyère
50g parmesan
50g fresh breadcrumbs (white bread thats been grated or wizzed in processor)
3 medium tomatoes sliced
280g macaroni
700ml full-fat milk, plus a bit extra
50g butter
50g plain flour, minus 1 tsp
1 rounded tsp Dijon mustard (this adds a kick)

Put a pan of water on to boil. Tip the macaroni into the boiling water, stir and bring it back to the boil. Simmer for 8 mins, or cook according to pack instructions, stirring occasionally to stop it sticking. While this is cooking, start the sauce.
Warm the milk in a jug in the microwave (or in a pan). Melt the butter in a pan (big enough to take the macaroni as well), then stir in the flour. Cook for 1 min, stirring, then take off the heat. Pour in one-third of the warm milk and beat well with a wooden spoon until smooth - it is quite thick at this stage. Add another third - it may go a bit lumpy, but keep beating well and it will go smooth again. Pour in the final third of milk and keep beating until smooth.
When the macaroni is done, tip it into a colander and put it briefly under very hot running water to keep it separate. Drain. Put the pan of sauce back on the heat and cook, stirring, until thickened and smooth. Lower the heat and simmer for about 4 mins until glossy, stirring every now and then. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheeses and mustard, then beat in 5 tbsp milk, or enough to give a slack coating consistency. Taste and season (you shouldn't need much salt). If the macaroni is sticking at all, put it under the hot tap again, then stir to separate. Drain well, then gently mix it into the sauce and stir to coat completely. If necessary, adjust the consistency again with milk. There should be enough sauce to coat the macaroni thickly and liberally.
Tip the macaroni cheese into the buttered dish, scatter over the cheesy crumbs and lay the tomatoes casually over the top. Heat through in the oven for 12-15 mins until beginning to bubble around the edges. Grill for 3-5 mins to brown the crumbs. Let it all settle for 1-2 mins, then serve while still piping hot.

Answer 10

1 8 oz box elbow macaroni, 2 pounds med cheese shredded/ 2 eggs beaten / 3 5 oz cans evaporated milk / 1 table spoon butter / salt & pepper -preheat oven at 350 . lightly grease a 9 x 13 -inch baking dish / bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat . add macaroni and cook until tender about 6 minutes / do not over cook drain into colander and allow macaroni to cool breifly / transfer to a large bowl add the cheese . eggs milk, bitter and salt and pepper to taste / pour the macaroni mixture into the prepared dish cover with foil and bake in the middle of the oven until bubbly about 45 minutes( this is a heirloom recipe)