homemade mac & cheese

[3plus2isme]

i'm trying to find a tried & true mac & cheese recipe. you know the good, ooey, gooey kind - i guess baked? if you've had the ikea kind that's what i'm shooting for not like kraft dinner.

i've tried a few recipes but they're always ....

[lotus.blossom]

I have tried several different recipes over the years and always come back to this Betty Crocker recipe. I kind of think that a common mistake people make is to use too many noodles for the recipe. Its common to just dump in the whole box and not have enough cheese sauce. So I double the sauce for this recipe. 1 lb pasta and it fills a 9x13 pan (I'm posting the doubled sauce)

1 lb macaroni
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
4 cups milk
1 lb shredded cheese

Obviously cook macaroni. Make a roux with the next 6 ingredients. Cook till mixture is bubbly and add milk. Heat to boiling and boil/stir one minute. Stir in cheese. Add macaroni. Bake in a greased 9x13 dish for about 20-25 minutes. (i add bread crumbs on the top)

[Ola_]

I'm not a big mac & cheese fan so I've never had the Ikea one, but this one looks yummy:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2...ancy-macaroni/

[tbone_kneegrabber]

I like that above this martha stewart recipe
What I typically do is make a bechamel sauce, usually with half milk and half vegetable stock
then I add a ton of cheese (like over a pound for one pound of pasta)
I also like to roast a butternut squash, puree it and throw that in the sauce too,
Then I pour it all over cooked pasta, cover it in bread crumbs and more shredded cheese and then bake in the oven 350-375 30 mins or so

[wrenb]

We like the Cooks Illustrated recipe that I keep handy here. It's so good and relatively quick!

[3plus2isme]

Thank You!

[cristeen]

I never make it the same twice, personally. But I find that we prefer it when we use a blend of cheeses. Usually at least 4, but sometimes as many as a dozen. A mix of sharp and mild, dry and soft. Cheeses like cream cheese or blue cheese are great additions, but only take a very small amount. I love flavored cheeses, like mustard seed or onion/chive/garlic.

Basically I make a white sauce with a basic roux, 2 c of half & half, and about 4 cups of shredded cheese (not packed), a little garlic powder, salt and pepper. Toss that with a pound of cooked penne (slightly undercooked), put into a 9x13 pan, and bake at 350 for about 40 minutes, or until browning on top. You can sprinkle some shredded cheese or some panko on top before baking for a little extra texture. And I usually stir in some meat and veg before baking (peas and sausage are the normal ones here, but I've even done shredded goose or broccoli).

[treemom2]

My DH loves mac and cheese. He's very picky about it though. This is his absolute favorite: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Home-St...se/Detail.aspx. The only change I made was to do 1 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup half and half (I ran out of milk). Also, I made my own topping with crackers, butter, Aunt Janes salt, and garlic pepper. I also added about a little more cheddar cheese since I shredded it myself and had a little extra. My husband and I enjoyed ours a little spicier than the children so we added hot sauce or cayenne after serving

[Honey693]

Originally Posted by Ola_

I'm not a big mac & cheese fan so I've never had the Ikea one, but this one looks yummy:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2...ancy-macaroni/

Pioneer Woman has a recipe in her cookbook too that's amazing.

[Ola_]

Here's another recipe that's not exactly mac-n-cheese but it's one we've actually tried (and very much enjoyed!). It's penne pasta in a cream and cheese sauce, with bacon and roasted squash.
http://definitelynotmartha.blogspot....y-days-do.html

[rhiOrion]

my MIL has the best recipe ever. but it involves velveeta, so probably wouldn't fit in with "nutrition and good eating"!!!!!

[Pinoikoi]

Originally Posted by lotus.blossom

I have tried several different recipes over the years and always come back to this Betty Crocker recipe.

(i add bread crumbs on the top)

This is the recipe I use also, but I have a hard time with the bread crumbs part for some reason.. the main part is good, but the topping just looks like dry topping.. I am not sure why. I think I might have to skip the bread crumbs in future..

[madskye]

This Martha Stewart Mac and Cheese Casserole is the best I have ever eaten:

http://www.marthastewart.com/article...oni-and-cheese

It is definitely not an every day kind of thing--I make it once or twice a year. It's delish.

[Storm Bride]

Originally Posted by lotus.blossom

I have tried several different recipes over the years and always come back to this Betty Crocker recipe. I kind of think that a common mistake people make is to use too many noodles for the recipe. Its common to just dump in the whole box and not have enough cheese sauce. So I double the sauce for this recipe. 1 lb pasta and it fills a 9x13 pan (I'm posting the doubled sauce)

1 lb macaroni
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
4 cups milk
1 lb shredded cheese

Obviously cook macaroni. Make a roux with the next 6 ingredients. Cook till mixture is bubbly and add milk. Heat to boiling and boil/stir one minute. Stir in cheese. Add macaroni. Bake in a greased 9x13 dish for about 20-25 minutes. (i add bread crumbs on the top)

This is similar to mine. I use a slightly higher ration of pasta to sauce (not sure exactly, as I don't weigh it), and about 3 cups milk. I just add cheese to my sauce until I like the texture and taste. I use a combination of medium cheddar and mozzarella, with a little bit of emmenthal (recommended by an MDC mama a year or two ago, but I can't remember who!). I also add buttered bread crumbs, mixed with a little bit of finely grated cheddar to the top.

[maggiemae]

Originally Posted by Ola_

I'm not a big mac & cheese fan so I've never had the Ikea one, but this one looks yummy:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2...ancy-macaroni/

I am drooling