Homemade Mac Cheese Food

ULTIMATE MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Cook macaroni in large saucepan as directed on package for al dente pasta. Rinse under cold water; drain well.
• 2. Melt butter in same saucepan on medium heat. Sprinkle with flour and seasonings. Cook and stir 2 minutes or until well blended. Gradually stir in milk until smooth. Stirring constantly, cook 3 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken. Stir in cheese until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Add macaroni; toss gently to coat. Pour into greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Mix panko and paprika; sprinkle evenly over top.
• 3. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown on top. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

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.

HOMEMADE MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook macaroni according to the package directions. Drain.
• In a saucepan, melt butter or margarine over medium heat. Stir in enough flour to make a roux. Add milk to roux slowly, stirring constantly. Stir in cheeses, and cook over low heat until cheese is melted and the sauce is a little thick. Put macaroni in large casserole dish, and pour sauce over macaroni. Stir well.
• Melt butter or margarine in a skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and brown. Spread over the macaroni and cheese to cover. Sprinkle with a little paprika.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes. Serve.

THE BEST HOMEMADE MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Boil the elbow noodles until cooked, drain and pour into a greased (I use cooking spray) 9x9 casserole dish.
• Cut 3/4 of the bar of 16 oz. sharp cheddar cheese in to small cubes, do the same with the mild cheddar.
• In a 2 quart saucepan melt the butter.
• With a fork mix in flour until it looks like a paste.
• Stir in the milk, and cook until warm (not boiling).
• Once warm add in cheese and continue cooking until cheese is melted stirring continuously with a fork (if you don't stir continuously cheese will burn to bottom of pan).
• Once cheese is melted, pour over the noodles; use a fork to move the noodles around to get the cheese mixture to the bottom.
• Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes, or until you see some brown on top.
• Let it sit out for about 15 minute before eating.
• I usually start making the cheese mixture about 5 minute before the noodles are done, it goes a little faster. You just don't want to cook the cheese mixture first because it can't sit in the pan.