Holiday Mac And Cheese Food

THE BEST BAKED MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just slightly softened, about 6 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and rinse under cold water.
• Meanwhile, remove the crusts from the bread and cut into 1-inch cubes. Pulse in the food processor until the bread breaks into bean-sized pieces.
• Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring, until toasted, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.
• Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, mustard powder and cayenne. Cook, whisking constantly, until smooth and slightly golden, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cook, whisking occasionally, until the sauce begins to boil and thicken, about 7 minutes, then remove from heat. Stir in the fontina, Gruyere and all but 1 1/2 cups of the Cheddar until fully melted. Stir in the pasta, adding the reserved pasta water as needed to make a creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
• Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a small bowl in the microwave. Brush a 9-by-13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with the melted butter. Spread the pasta mixture in the prepared dish. Sprinkle the remaining Cheddar evenly over the pasta, then scatter the toasted breadcrumbs on top. Bake until heated through and just bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

HOLIDAY MACARONI & CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook the pasta according to package directions.
• In a large sauce pan, melt the butter on a low heat. Add in a little flour, enough to make a paste (turn down the heat--flour/butter mixture burns quickly).
• Add the evaporated milk and keep stirring, on a low heat until this mixture thickens---you can add more flour if it's not thick enough. Then, add in all the dry spices, and keep stirring.
• Cut the cheese into small little cubes and then add it to the mixture, still on a low heat and keep stirring.
• Meanwhile, in another sauce pan, add 2tbs of butter and melt on a low heat. Once the butter is sizzling, add in the bread crumbs and saute lightly. Beat the egg and add it to the bread crumbs (You want the bread crumb topping to hold together) Once that happens, let it sit with foil . Meanwhile, if the cheese is thoroughly melted, put the pasta in an oblong baking dish, and pour the cheese mixture over the pasta.
• Bake the macaroni & cheese (covered with foil) for 30 min on 325°F
• Remove the foil and with a spatula slip the bread-crumb topping over the Mac & Cheese. For 10 min more, uncovered continue baking, but keep checking. You just want the bread-crumb topping to be lightly brown!

AUTHENTIC SOUTHERN BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Butter an 8 by 11 or 9 by 13-inch baking dish and set aside.
• Fill a large stockpot or dutch oven halfway with chicken broth (or water if you don't have broth), and bring to a boil. Add in elbow macaroni and cook until just under al dente, according to package directions. Do not fully cook or overcook the macaroni pasta, it'll finish cooking through completely in the oven. Once just under al dente, drain the pasta.
• While the pasta boils, use a wooden spoon to mix the half and half, heavy cream, half of the cheddar cheese, half of the Colby jack cheese, all of the mozzarella cheese, all of the American cheese, and all of the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl.
• Add smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, and some kosher salt and pepper, stirring well and tasting the mixture to ensure there is a good flavor. Do not add too much salt, since cheese is pretty salty and will add its saltiness as it bakes. Once satisfied with the seasoning, stir in the cooked macaroni and eggs until well incorporated with the cheese.
• Pour the macaroni mixture into the baking dish and spread evenly.
• Top the macaroni and cheese generously with the rest of the cheddar cheese and colby jack cheese. Sprinkle the top with a little more smoked paprika, if desired.
• Bake the mac and cheese for 35 minutes or until the cheese crust is bubbly and nicely browned. Do not over-bake or the macaroni pasta will become mushy and the cheese mixture will become dry.
• Let the baked macaroni and cheese cool for about 10 minutes or until just cool enough to serve. Serve hot so the cheese is nice and creamy.
• Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

HOLIDAY MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• NOTE: USE MOSTACCIOLI PASTA OR LARGE ELBOW MACARONI (I USE SAFEWAY BRAND MOSTACCIOLI). DO NOT ADD ANY SALT TO THE BOILING WATER BEFORE ADDING PASTA (WHAT MAKES THIS RECIPE UNIQUE IS THE CONTRAST OF FLAVORS BETWEEN THE "SWEETER" UNSALTED PASTA AND THE MILD SALTINESS OF THE CHEESE SAUCE). USE ONLY HOMOGENIZED WHOLE MILK. USE 24 OUNCES SOLID MEDIUM TO SHARP CHEDDAR CHEESE (24 OUNCES = ONE 1 LB BRICK, PLUS ONE 8 OUNCE BRICK -- OR -- TWO 12 OUNCE BRICKS). USE ONLY POWDERED GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE. (STEP 1): PREHEAT oven to 350°F ; LIGHTLY butter or spray a 2.8 - 3 quart casserole dish; SHRED sharp white cheddar cheese on a medium grate; DIVIDE cheese into 3 mounds: One mound consisting of 1 cup cheese (for the garnish), and two larger mounds divided equally, using the remaining cheese; FINELY grate 1/2 cup Gruyere cheese.
• INTO a medium microwave-safe bowl, add 4 1/4 cups whole milk; IMMERSE the 1 sprig fresh rosemary and 1 sprig fresh thyme into milk.
• HEAT milk mixture in a microwave at 100% power, pausing at intervals to stir, until very hot but not boiling; WHEN hot, float the onion slice over milk and let steep for 2-3 minutes; REMOVE rosemary and thyme sprigs and onion slice and discard; STRAIN any debris if necessary; WHISK in 1 1/2 level teaspoons kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper.
• COOK pasta in 5-6 quarts rapidly boiling salt-free water in a large pot, until al dente (tender but retaining firmness); DRAIN in colander then rinse with cold water (leave pasta slightly wet before using).
• NOTE: WHEN LAYERING THE FOLLOWING INGREDIENTS, KEEP CASSEROLE LOOSELY ASSEMBLED WITHOUT PACKING, TO ALLOW THE SAUCE TO PERMEATE. (STEP 3): PLACE 1/2 of the pasta into casserole dish; SPRINKLE the first large mound of cheddar cheese over the pasta; ADD the remaining portion pasta over the cheddar layer; SPRINKLE the second large mound of cheddar cheese over the pasta again.
• IN the previous emptied pot over a low heat setting, add the butter in tablespoons until melted; SPRINKLE in the flour and stir; RAISE heat to medium low and cook until light golden, bubbly and slightly nutty in aroma, stirring as needed (do not let mixture turn brown or you will need to wash the pot and start over!).
• RAISE heat to medium-high; GRADUALLY whisk in the hot milk mixture; WHISK constantly until mixture begins to steam and bubble; REDUCE heat and cook 1-2 minutes until fully thickened; REMOVE from heat; STIR in the Gruyere cheese and 1/4 cup powdered parmesan cheese until blended and creamy.
• POUR the sauce over layered casserole, using a flexible spatula to scrape all sauce from pot; SPREAD and smooth sauce evenly to cover entire casserole, neatly to the edges of baking dish.
• TOP casserole with the remaining (1-cup) mound shredded cheese garnish , followed with 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese OR a buttered breadcrumb topping -- see recipe in description).
• BAKE uncovered for 30 minutes; LOWER dish to bottom rack; TURN on broiler and keep an eye on it, until golden browned and crusty on top; COOL 10 minutes; SERVE and enjoy!

FRIED MAC AND CHEESE BALLS

Steps:

• Prepare Dinners in large saucepan as directed on package, omitting half each of the margarine and milk. Add shredded cheese, wieners, flour and 1 egg; mix well. Spread onto foil-covered rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate 20 min.
• Whisk remaining eggs and water until blended. Place bread crumbs in shallow bowl. Shape Dinner mixture into 24 balls, using 1/4 cup Dinner mixture for each. Roll, 1 at a time, in eggs then in crumbs. Return to prepared baking sheet. Discard any remaining eggs and bread crumbs.
• Heat oil in medium saucepan on medium-high heat to 350ºF. Add macaroni and cheese balls, in batches; cook 2 to 3 min. or until golden brown, turning occasionally. Remove from oil with slotted spoon; drain on paper towels.
• Mix mayo and hot sauce. Serve with warm croquettes.