Southern Baked Mac and Cheese

 Maribel invited us to her Valentine painting party. She wanted me to bring Mac and Cheese - always excited to try a new recipe.

Ingredients:

4 cups uncooked pasta

6 Tablespoons butter

6 Tablespoons flour

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

4 cups shredded cheese (I used a blend of two cheeses)

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325ºF.

Grease a 9” x 13” casserole dish. Set aside.

In a large stockpot, melt the butter over medium heat.

Meanwhile, in a separate pot, prepare the macaroni according to package directions, but cook just under your preferred level of doneness to ensure the mac and cheese doesn't end up overcooked and mushy.

Once the butter is melted, whisk in flour to form a roux (paste). Add the seasoning, to taste.

Whisk in the milk and cream and set heat to medium-high.

Whisk in 3 cups of the cheese and continue whisking as the mixture cooks and thickens.

Drain the pasta but do not rinse.

When the cheese has completely melted into the sauce, pour the sauce over the cooked macaroni.

Fold the macaroni and cheese into the prepared casserole dish.

Top with remaining 1 cup of cheese.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until the cheese on top is browned and completely melted.

Allow the mac and cheese to sit for about 5-10 minutes before serving, so the cheese sauce has time to set up.

TicTok Mac and Cheese

I haven't made Mac and Cheese in awhile. I picked up a few boxes of Kraft Mac and Cheese on sale because I saw this TicTok VIDEO.

So easy to make- just follow the video. I didn't use heavy cream. I used 1/2 and 1/2. I also used grated sharp cheddar.

Gabe liked it so will make again- very easy.

Trisha Yearwood Crockpot Mac and Cheese Recipe

 Ingredients:

8 ounces cooked elbow macaroni

1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk

1-1/2 cups whole milk

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 teaspoon salt

Dash of pepper

2 (10-ounce) bricks sharp Cheddar cheese, about 5 cups, grated

Dash of paprika

spray for the slow cooker

Note: The recipe calls for 2 eggs. Since we were going to Easter Dinner with the Gomez family I wasn't sure about adding the eggs due to possible allergies. 

Directions:

Spray a 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray and add macaroni, evaporated milk, whole milk, butter, salt, pepper, and eggs.

Stir in all but 1/2 cup of the cheese.

Sprinkle the remaining cheese and paprika on top.

Cover and cook on LOW for 3 hours 15 minutes.

BAKED MACARONI & CHEESE – FIVE STAR RECIPE

My neighbor had to go on a business trip and asked me to make Mac and Cheese for her family.

Saw this recipe on Sweet Little Bluebird and hoped the Gomez family would like it. The above blog said it is 5 star- will wait to see how they rate it. :-)

Ingredients

16 ounces macaroni
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 1/2 cups milk- used 1 can evaporated milk and rest half and half

16 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot ( I used a large dutch oven). Add the macaroni, cook for 8 - 9 minutes. Strain and set aside.

In the dutch oven melt the butter over medium heat.

Add the flour- a little at a time, white pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper over the melted butter, whisk until smooth.

Stir in the milk slowly.Continue to stir while adding 

Add all of the cheese, stir into the milk/flour sauce until melted. Stir in the macaroni.

Pour into a 2 quart baking dish. 


Bake at 375 F for 30 minutes.

Evelyn Hodges Baked Macaroni and Cheese

I had over 500 or more cookbooks before we moved to Florida. Now I have about 50 from home and TRY not to buy any new ones. When I saw a little 2 ring old cooked that you could tell was someones favorite and I had to get it. The recipes are typed and some are cut out from magazines and pasted on the large index cards.

We went to our neighbors for Easter and I wanted to make this dish from my new cookbook.

Copycat Panera Mac n' Cheese

Stress Management

Picture yourself near a stream.
Birds are singing in the crisp, cool mountain air.
Nothing can bother you here.
No one knows this secret place.
You are in total seclusion from that place called the world.
The soothing sound of a gentle waterfall fills the air with a cascade of serenity.
The water is clear.
You can easily make out the face of the person whose head you're holding under the water.
There now, feeling better?
If nothing,  this made you smile.  While not feasible, it made me laugh. 

Ah, Comfort food.  Just those words make me feel relaxed.  My favorite comfort food of all time is Mac n Cheese.  But not just any will do, it has to be Panera's.  I've been making this recipe since I found it on the internet.  The flavor is unique.  All that  creamy goodness melting on your tongue with every bite you take.  It's so quick and easy to make & it sure does help when you've had a tooth extracted..... yeah, that wasn't fun but there is no reason you should suffer and not eat good,  right?   What an excuse huh?  It sure did hit the spot.  I can have all the soft food I want so i'm going back into the kitchen and see what else I can make...... ice cream.... marshmallows.......  Well, the dentist did say soft food......


Thanks for letting me share my favorite Mac n' Cheese Recipe Linda.

Ingredients:
 16 oz pipette pasta or other small pasta shapes
 4 tbsp unsalted butter
 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
 2 1/2 cups half-and-half
 4 oz white American cheese, chopped or torn into pieces
 8 oz extra sharp white Vermont cheddar, shredded
 2 tsp – 1 tbsp Dijon mustard (adjust according to your tastes)
 1 tsp Kosher salt

 1 tsp hot sauce (Used Frank’s)

Instructions:
  Cook pasta as directed on package,   Drain in colander and set aside

Place Butter in large 3 to 4 quart sauce pan and melt over low heat.  Add the flour to make a roux and keep stirring  to keep from scorching about a minute and a half.  Start adding the milk slowly making sure there are no lumps.  Keep whisking until the mixture until it thickens and starts to bubble.  This might take a bit. I stirred mine for about 10 minutes.

Remove from Heat and stir in cheeses a small handful at a time stirring until it melts, then keep adding the cheese until all of it is incorporated.  Add the mustard, salt & the hot sauce.  Stir well.  Return the pot to the flame and add the pasta and coat the pasta well and make sure that the pasta is heated through.  Serve immediately.  Store leftover in covered container and refrigerate.

Panera Stove Top Mac and Cheese

Absolutely Delicious Mac and Cheese

I have a few "make again" or 5 stars recipes for Mac and Cheese but Divingabe loves this one. I make it when we have company and always asked to share the recipe.
I found it on The Taste Of Home recipe board. Excellent board and wonderful people who are always willing to help.This was posted by haptappy on 7/27/05. 

Josephine Braswell's Macaroni & Cheese 

16 ounce box elbow macaroni  ( use 16 if you love a lot of pasta less if you want it creamy)
1  8 oz package Velveeta Cheese
1  12 oz package shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup sour cream
1  8 oz package of cream cheese
1  12 oz can of evaporated milk
4 tablespoons ( 1/2 stick) butter or margarine

Directions:

Cook and drain the macaroni. 

Add to a oven proof casserole.

Melt the Velveeta, sour cream and cream cheese in the butter

Add the milk and stir until smooth.

Add 1/3 of the mozzarella and pour over the macaroni.

Sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella over the top.

Bake at 375 for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Don't let it brown on top. You want it to be creamy and the mozzarella will be stringy.

                                                         Ready to go in the oven