The Joy Of Mac And Cheese Food

THE JOY OF MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• In microwave bowl melt butter, whisk in flour and once it is smooth gradually whisk in milk a bit at a time until mixture is smooth again. Microwave on high, stirring until smooth every minute, until mixture thickens into a white sauce, about 4-5 minutes in all.
• Stir in desired seasonings and 2/3rds of cheese until melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in macaroni.
• Pour 1/2 of the macaroni mixture into a greased 1 1/2 quart baking dish. I like to use a 9 x 11 to spread it out thin. Sprinkle with half the remaining cheese. Top with the other half of the macaroni and the rest of the cheese. It's ok to grate more cheese if you want and/or mix in other cheeses like mozzarella. I do!
• Melt butter in a pan and toss in fresh bread crumbs until browned for topping OR sprinkle macaroni with packaged bread crumbs and dot with butter.
• Bake at 350 for 30 mins, until breadcrumbs are lightly browned. Since I spread it out thin and the ingredients are already warm it usually doesn't take the full 30 mins to cook. You don't want to dry it out ether. Let rest for about 5 mins before serving.

MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. and butter a 3- to 4-quart gratin dish or other shallow baking dish.
• In a heavy saucepan melt 6 tablespoons butter over moderately low heat. Add flour and cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Add milk in a stream, whisking, and bring to a boil, whisking. Add mustard, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste and simmer sauce, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 2 minutes.
• In a kettle of salted boiling water cook macaroni until just al dente, about 7 minutes, and drain well. In a large bowl stir together macaroni, sauce, Cheddar, and 1 cup Parmesan and transfer to prepared dish.
• In a small bowl stir together bread crumbs and remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan and sprinkle evenly over macaroni. Cut remaining 1 tablespoon butter into bits and scatter over topping.
• Bake macaroni in middle of oven 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.

STOVE TOP MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook macaroni in a large pot of boiling salted water for recommended cooking time on box.
• Drain and return to pot and add butter.
• Stir macaroni and butter until well blended.
• Add the rest of the ingredients (evaporated milk through pepper) and stir well.
• Set pot over very low heat and cook macaroni mixture.
• Stir constantly until sauce is smooth and macaroni is steaming, 5-10 minutes. The sauce should thicken, if not, slightly raise the heat and cook another 5 minutes.
• DO NOT OVERHEAT OR SAUCE WILL CURDLE.
• If you have family members who like baked macaroni, you can put this into a baking dish and top with breadcrumbs, and then cook in a 350 degree over for 5-10 minutes. Macaroni will still be creamy, and there will be a nice crunchy topping.