[megaphonemo]

Okay, we are finally having company over for dinner this weekend !!! YAY!! Our first guests in like 6 months (okay, my dad came, but just a quick layover as he is a FLA snowbird - and wanted to see the kids - he did not count!!). My best friend from HS and college and her DH... I am soooo excited - just hope we are all healthy enough for the visit!! I am planning to make ribs - which I perfected this summer thanks to the food network, and want to make a great mac and cheese to go along with them..... (I had a friends homemade stuff earlier this year and have been DYING for it ever since!!)

BUT I don't want to spend the entire visit in the kitchen, so I was hoping to make ahead of time and then bake when they got here.... (like I am doing with the ribs, which I will throw on the grill when it is time to eat....). Can I do this with Mac and cheese, or will it get too mushy since it is pasta??

The fine food network web site has a lot of recipes but i am looking for simple, not gruyere cheese and not with asparagus mixed in... I think I found one, and will tweak as i see fit, but does anyone have a good recipe for homemade baked Macaroni and cheese that they are willing to share??

Thanks for the help...!

[tweetybirdus]

Macaroni & Cheese Preheat oven to 350 degrees
4 cups dried macaroni
1/4 cup (1/2 stick, 4 tablespoons) butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk
2 heaping teaspoons dry mustard (more if desired)
1 egg, beaten
1 pound cheese, grated (I like Cheddar)
1/2 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt (more to taste)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
*Optional spices: cayenne pepper, paprika, thyme
Cook macaroni until very firm. Macaroni should be too firm to eat right out of the pot. Drain.
In a small bowl, beat egg.
In a large pot, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together over medium-low heat. Cook mixture for five minutes, whisking constantly. Don’t let it burn.
Pour in milk, add mustard, and whisk until smooth. Cook for five minutes until very thick. Reduce heat to low.
Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking eggs. Whisk together till smooth.
Pour egg mixture into sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth.
Add in cheese and stir to melt.
Add salts and pepper. Taste sauce and add more salt and seasoned salt as needed! DO NOT UNDERSALT.
Pour in drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine.
Serve immediately (very creamy) or pour into a buttered baking dish, top with extra cheese, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and golden on top.

[megaphonemo]

Thanks, Tweety!! I am totally salivating!!

Anyone else?

[crick]

Martha Stewart's Mac & Cheese is one of the best I've ever had! It's expensive though so I rarely make it. Since it's a special occ. though, you might feel like splurging. I know a lot of people halve the recipe.

Perfect Macaroni and Cheese and more delicious recipes, smart cooking tips, and video demonstrations on marthastewart.com

[Waiting_for_my_baby]

We must be on the same wave-length b/c I just looked up this recipe a couple of days ago! Sounds so good!

[momtutu]

Ok this one is super easy. My friends think I spend tons of time and energy on it. What they don't know can't hurt them!

Elbow noodles 16 oz box
4-6 cups of sharp cheddar cheese
1 can of cream of chicken soup
sour cream 16 oz

Cook the pasta. Mix everything together and pop it in the oven for about 30 minutes. The cheese varies depending on how cheesy I am feeling and how much cheese I have on hand. If you think it is not moist enough add another can of soup. I tend to be a throw together cook, not a follow the recipe type.
Lisa

[brooklyn_girl]

I haven't tested it yet, but I'm told that this recipe from the NY Times is fantastic:

Recipe: Creamy Macaroni and Cheese Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup cottage cheese (not lowfat)
2 cups milk (not skim)
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Pinch cayenne
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound sharp or extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
½ pound elbow pasta, uncooked.
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees and position an oven rack in upper third of oven. Use 1 tablespoon butter to butter a 9-inch round or square baking pan.
2. In a blender, purée cottage cheese, milk, mustard, cayenne, nutmeg and salt and pepper together. Reserve ¼ cup grated cheese for topping. In a large bowl, combine remaining grated cheese, milk mixture and uncooked pasta. Pour into prepared pan, cover tightly with foil and bake 30 minutes.
3. Uncover pan, stir gently, sprinkle with reserved cheese and dot with remaining tablespoon butter. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes more, until browned. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

[KarenInCa]

DH will not eat mac and cheese that's not from the box. He always says that home made makes the cheese taste gritty. Anyone have any tips on making it taste more like boxed? LOL

[tweetybirdus]

Originally Posted by KarenInCa

DH will not eat mac and cheese that's not from the box. He always says that home made makes the cheese taste gritty. Anyone have any tips on making it taste more like boxed? LOL

temper the eggs (when adding to the sauce) better, if the eggs get too hot too quickly, they'll scramble (cook) and make it seem gritty.

[crick]

I concur with the tempering suggestion above! Also, I find that you really do have to whisk the heck out of the sauce to the point where you think it's done and whisk some more! LOL!

[megaphonemo]

okay, I made it!! It is in the fridge, I'll put it in the oven about an hour before I plan on eating!! I used a lot of cheese... I mean, a lot!!! pretty easy recipe though, just milk, an egg, some butter and lots of cheese... I will let you know how it goes over...

p.s. i think it is the recipes that get flour that are gritty - that is why I stayed away from them!! Oh, and the ribs are baked and awaiting the fire!!!