Aged Gouda Macaroni And Cheese Food

BAKED MAC & CHEESE W/ GOUDA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Spray a shallow 8x8 baking dish; set aside.
• Generously salt boiling water; add pasta. Cook, according to package instructions, until 2 minutes short of al dente.
• Drain pasta, rinse with cold water, drain and return to pot.
• While pasta is cooking, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium. Whisk in seasonings; then whisk in flour to form a thick paste.
• Slowly whisk in milk. Bring to a low boil; reduce heat to low, and simmer until sauce is thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
• To baking dish, layering:.
• Add 1/2 of cooked macaroni. Add 1/2 of sauce, 1/2 of each cheese. Repeat and top with cheeses.
• Can be made several hours in advance, covered and refrigerated until time to bake.
• Bake covered for 15-20 minutes.
• Uncover and bake until topping is golden and sauce is bubbling, an additional 15-20 minutes.
• *If refrigerated, additional time may be needed until it is bubbly and slightly browned.
• Cool 5 minutes before serving.
• *Notes: I use a packet of G. Washington Golden seasoning instead of salt & pepper. If you can find it, it is a great universal seasoning for sauces.
• April 2012, EDIT TO ADD: if doubling this recipe, use only 5 tablespoons of flour and 6 cups of milk. If you do not, you run the risk of a not so creamy and somewhat dry end result. At times I have added a bit more milk than recommended because the under cooked macaroni will absorb some of the milk. IMO a little creamier is better than too dry.

SMOKED GOUDA CHEESE MACARONI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Put the water, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the oil in a large, heavy saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes. In a small, heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly. Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and the white pepper and continue whisking until the sauce is smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 8 minutes. Remove the white sauce from the heat and stir in the cheese. Continue stirring until the cheese melts. Lightly grease a 6 1/2 by 10-inch casserole dish with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon butter. Combine the cheese sauce and macaroni in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Pour into the prepared casserole and bake until lightly golden on top, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve hot. Garnish with parsley.

MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Butter a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish and set aside. Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Drain well, but do not rinse.
• Whisk the cream, milk, flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper in large bowl to blend. Stir in 1 cup Fontina, 1/2 cup Parmesan, 1/2 cup mozzarella, ham, if using, and parsley. Add the noodles and toss to coat. Transfer the noodle mixture to the prepared baking dish. Toss the remaining 1 cup Fontina, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and 1/4 cup mozzarella in a small bowl to blend. Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the noodle mixture. Bake until the sauce bubbles and the cheese melts and begins to brown on top, about 20 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

AGED GOUDA MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Prepare macaroni according to package instructions. While pasta is boiling, melt butter in an 8 oz pot over low heat. When butter has turned into liquid, add flour and stir until there are no lumps. Reserve 1/2 cup of grated cheese for topping and add remaining cheese to the butter/flour mixture. Turn up heat to medium low. Stir until the cheese is fully integrated into the mixture, then stir in cream in 3 intervals, making sure that the cream is fully integrated into the cheese before adding more. Continue to stir for 1 1/2 minutes, and then add drained pasta. Mix everything together over low heat for 2 minutes, constantly stirring. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove pot from heat and turn on broiler. Equally divide macaroni and cheese into 8-12 oz or 16 oz ramekins. Sprinkle remaining cheese onto each portion and place in broiler for 60 seconds or until cheese is melted and golden brown. Serve immediately.

BAKED MACARONI AND GOUDA CHEESE WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350º.
• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente, about 11 minutes (or as directed on package).
• Meanwhile, heat a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Add the sausage and cook, stirring and breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Transfer the sausage to a large bowl and wipe the saucepan clean.
• Add the pasta and 1 cup caramelized onions to the sausage and stir to combine.
• In a medium saucepan or a microwave oven, heat the milk until steaming.
• Return the large saucepan to the stove, add the butter and melt over medium heat.
• Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 3 minutes.
• Whisk in the hot milk, 1/4 cup at a time, and continue whisking until the sauce is smooth and thick and comes to a simmer.
• Add 2 1/2 cups cheese, remove from the heat and whisk until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes; season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Add the cheese sauce to the pasta mixture and stir to combine.
• Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and add the pasta mixture in an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup caramelized onions and 1 1/2 cups cheese on top.
• Bake until golden and bubbling, about 40 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

SMOKED GOUDA MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a 10 inch casserole dish.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook until a roux forms. Stir in the milk, salt and pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is smooth and thick and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in cheese.
• Combine cooked pasta and cheese sauce; transfer to prepared dish.
• Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until heated through.