For whatever reason, everyone seems to be talking about macaroni and cheese these days. First, the New York Times, which mentions Martha's recipe. Then Andrea over at the Strong Buzz publishes her mother-in-law's recipe. I really like Emeril's recipe, which I've adapted slightly each time I've made it. Macaroni and cheese was one of the first meals I ever learned to make. I vaguely remember learning how to make it in Girl Scouts — making a bechamel, adding cheese, and adding it to cooked pasta before baking it, but the first recipe I ever followed for mac and cheese was from the Kraft cookbook, which a family friend had given to us as a gift. I still generally follow it, although I've tweaked it just a tad.
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup butter
2 cups warm milk
8 oz grated cheese (I like a mix of sharp cheddar, gruyere, and parmesan, but really you can experiment here)
dash of cayenne pepper
1/2 t powdered mustard
1/4 t white pepper
salt
approx 2 T breadcrumbs or panko
8 oz pasta, cooked (elbows, rotini, penne, small shells — something that'll hold the sauce)
Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter over medium heat; add flour and whisk together. Gradually add the warm milk, stirring constantly, until all of the milk is incorporated and the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat and add all but 1/4 cup of the grated cheese. When cheese has melted, add cayenne, mustard, white pepper, and a dash of salt. Taste and correct as you see fit.
Place 1/2 of the pasta in a 9" square pyrex baking dish; top with 1/2 of the cheese sauce. Follow with remaining pasta, topped by remaining sauce. Top with the reserved cheese and breadcrumbs. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until top is golden. Enjoy!
Comments
14 responses
I am soooo gonna make your mac & cheese with my daughter this weekend. She’ll freakin’ love it. She’s been cooking and baking since she was able to stand…and likes it. And me, well, I consider myself an axcellent chef even though I hardly ever cook.
But if I did…taste buds would never be the same! I just think I have an intuitive understanding of ingredients and heat and mixture and interaction. And I’m really good at tasting. Very, very good.
Thanks for the recipe!
I am soooo gonna make your mac & cheese with my daughter this weekend. She’ll freakin’ love it. She’s been cooking and baking since she was able to stand…and likes it. And me, well, I consider myself an axcellent chef even though I hardly ever cook.
But if I did…taste buds would never be the same! I just think I have an intuitive understanding of ingredients and heat and mixture and interaction. And I’m really good at tasting. Very, very good.
Thanks for the recipe!
I have tried recipes using condensed milk, cream, various other ingredients, but the recipe you use (and I use as well) is always the best – provided you use good flavorful cheese. (slightly dried up cheese is ok too, because it’s grated.) And I add a few bits of butter or olive oil and a dash of cayenne on top of the crumbs for extra rich and crunchy topping. I don’t find this freezes that well, but there is hardly ever any left over anyway!
I have tried recipes using condensed milk, cream, various other ingredients, but the recipe you use (and I use as well) is always the best – provided you use good flavorful cheese. (slightly dried up cheese is ok too, because it’s grated.) And I add a few bits of butter or olive oil and a dash of cayenne on top of the crumbs for extra rich and crunchy topping. I don’t find this freezes that well, but there is hardly ever any left over anyway!
I have so been wanting to make a mac and cheese but never found time to look up a recipe. I know what I’m making this week. Yummy. Thanks for the recipe!
I have so been wanting to make a mac and cheese but never found time to look up a recipe. I know what I’m making this week. Yummy. Thanks for the recipe!
Can’t wait to hear how everyone’s mac & cheese turns out!
Can’t wait to hear how everyone’s mac & cheese turns out!
Need Help!
OK – Brooklyn, Betsey and I made the mac & cheese, but the kids didn’t like it!
Kids = Brooklyn, 5; Kyan 2 + 10/12ths.
How do I adjust? Different cheese? Different spices?
Need Help!
OK – Brooklyn, Betsey and I made the mac & cheese, but the kids didn’t like it!
Kids = Brooklyn, 5; Kyan 2 + 10/12ths.
How do I adjust? Different cheese? Different spices?
Eric — Hmm . . .
I don’t really cook for kids that often, but maybe omit all spices other than salt & pepper and use only or mostly medium cheddar? Maybe a tiny bit of mozzarella for creaminess. That’ll make it milder. Hope that works!
Eric — Hmm . . .
I don’t really cook for kids that often, but maybe omit all spices other than salt & pepper and use only or mostly medium cheddar? Maybe a tiny bit of mozzarella for creaminess. That’ll make it milder. Hope that works!
Gut!
Gut!