By request, my Mac and Cheese recipe!

16 years ago

OK...

First off, let me say that the basic recipe comes from Alton Brown, but I have changed it and added to it. I used two kinds of cheese, NY Sharp Cheddar and Greuyer. You can use any combination of cheeses you want. Next time I might try adding Asagio, as well.

If you don't like cayanne pepper, you can certainly either cut back on it or omit it, but I like the bite it gives this recipe.

1/2 pound elbow macaroni

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon of cayanne pepper

1 tablespoon powdered mustard

3 cups milk

1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced

3 or 4 cloves of garlic, smashed or diced fine

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 large egg, light beaten

12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded

6 to 8 strips of bacon, fried crisp, drained, and crumbled

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Fresh black pepper

Topping:

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter and let it foam out.

Add the onion and garlic with a pinch of kosher salt and lightly sautee until they start to turn carmel colored and soft.

Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, cayanne pepper, and paprika.

Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.

Temper in the egg. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese and the bacon.

Season with salt and pepper.

Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.

Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.

I served this to friends for dinner, and they went absolutely nuts over it.

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Comments (27)

lindac
16 years ago
I can understand why! This is not Kraft Dinner!
1/2 pound of pasta and 3/4 of a pound of cheese...Oh my!! LOL! Artery clogging good!
Linda C
sands99
16 years ago
Holy cwap that looks evil good! and only a 1/2 lb pasta?!? - I might as well just strap it to my thighs. Ok I'll only lick the kids' forks...
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Terri_PacNW
16 years ago
I never thought about using some cayenne..I'll have to try that..I always put in a few grates of nutmeg though.

Egg, bacon...cheese...sounds like hubbies weekend breakfast. LOL
artsyshell
16 years ago
Yummm! I don't like mac n cheese but I could see myself eating this,(as a rare treat). Thanks so much Kframe!

Shelley
chase_gw
16 years ago
Thanks Michael! That looks delicious! Will try it one day this week.
sally2_gw
16 years ago
I have never met a mac n cheese I didn't like. I'm clipping this post! Thanks.

Sally
kframe19
Original Author
16 years ago
You've got to remember that a half pound of pasta takes up a LOT more space than 3/4 of a pound of cheese.

The amount of sauce on this recipe is spot on.

One thing I forgot to mention is that I stir the pasta REALLY well to help force the sauce into the elbows.
colleenoz
15 years ago
I made this tonight for dinner, because it sounded really good. (I did sub rigatoni for the elbows as I had a lot on hand, and scone/biscuit crumbs for the panko, same reason.) While it was cooking, DH kept saying, "Wow, that smells great! When do we eat?" When I served it up, he took a big sniff and said, "I hope it tastes as good as it smells!" After the first bite he said, "Well, you can make this again any time you like, because it is YUMMY!" Later he remarked, "This is EXCELLENT." I enjoyed it too :-) DH is very glad there are leftovers.
So, thanks, Mike!
fenworth
15 years ago
That sounds awesome! Unfortunately I won't be making it anytime soon, as DW and I have decided we're disgusted with our (and each other's) figures right now!

For additional ideas, check out this place. Small NYC restaurant dedicated to Mac & Cheese. I usually get an All-American with slab bacon and ground beef and bread crumbs. Yum!

Here is a link that might be useful: S'Mac
wizardnm
15 years ago
Michael, all I can say is Thank You! I plan on trying your recipe asap, it sounds like a winner to me.

Nancy
kframe19
Original Author
15 years ago
Glad that your hubby likes it, Colleen.

I intend to make it again soon.
lakeguy35
15 years ago
Thanks from me too!! My group loves mac and cheese so I'll be making this soon.

David
chase_gw
15 years ago
Kframe, I meant to come back earlier to tell you I made your mac and cheese recipe. Meredith absolutely loved it and she is our resident expert! Clive even took some to lunch with him yesterday. Thanks for sharing.
wizardnm
15 years ago
I made it too, same day as Sharon I think. We really liked it and it's now in my 'keeper' file.

Thank you!
Thank you!
Thank you!

Nancy
lakeguy35
15 years ago
Sharon, it's almost time for lunch and that pic has my mouth watering as I'm entering this. You are getting very good with your food pics pal!

Still planning our Mothers Day menu and I hope to work this one into it. If not, I'm making it for myself.

David
dixiedog_2007
15 years ago
I've got this on my "TO TRY LIST." It sounds so good and obviously is being well received by others.

Thanks for posting the recipe and as David I am hoping to work this into my Mothers Day menu.
Lisa_in_Germany
15 years ago
I tried this last week. I doubled the recipe and there wasn't a single noodle left.
Thanks for the great recipe.
Lisa
fenworth
15 years ago
It's on the menu for tonight - can you believe a BIG supermarket didn't have any noodles though? I bought the spirally noodles instead. Oh well, got everything else and can't wait to try it.
rachelellen
15 years ago
I've copied this recipe as well!

Sometimes, if I am feeling very, very decadent, I will make a batch of mac and cheese, and before toasting the bread crumbs on top, I'll put a layer of the hot mac and cheese in a casserole, and dot it with chunks of smoked gouda, bleu cheese, swiss or pepper jack, put another layer and dot that one etc. It adds insult to injury, to have a wonderful, rich mac and cheese studded with chunks of barely melted cheeses.

You must be a cheese freak to enjoy this. :D
memee
15 years ago
Hello Kframe19
I'd like to make your mac & cheese receipe - except more of it!! Can I double and make in a 9x13 pan. Also can I make it a day prior serving.....bake then reheat??

Thanks!!
kframe19
Original Author
15 years ago
Hi, Memee,

I always advise against useing a square pan, or any pan with distinct corners, for things like Mac and Cheese. You can end up getting dry corners.

Use two casseroles if you don't have one that will take a double go, and rotate them once half way through baking.

As for reheating, I really think that Mac and Cheese might well be one of the most perfect "heat again the next day" foods there is.

Just heat SLOWLY, not at the regular baking temperature.
Nancy
15 years ago
I made your mac & cheese, 1st successful scratch m&c I've ever made. Normally I just doctor up a box of kraft. For my younger son, I will have to cut back a bit on the heat, but otherwise-PERFECTION! Thanks for the recipe.
julier1234
15 years ago
I'd like to make this too - how many servings are you getting out of the half pound of pasta? Thanks.
julier1234
15 years ago
Never mind my question about how many it serves - that turned out to be more than I thought. We still haven't eaten it though.
kframe19
Original Author
15 years ago
Wow, I can't tell you all how thrilled I am with the feedback I"m getting on this recipe!

I'm probably going to make this recipe again this coming week, but I'm going to try a new twist...

I'm going to omit the cayanne pepper and sautee either an Anaheim or Serano pepper in with the onion and garlic...
julier1234
15 years ago
This is the best - we loved it!
dragonfly2
15 years ago
Oh my but this sounds delicious..I'm going to make it this week-end..Thank you for sharing, the heck with the few extra pounds, it's worth it.

By request, my Mac and Cheese recipe!

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lindac

sands99

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