mac and cheese

14 years ago

For lunch today, I am going to try the recipe I found for Ronald Reagan's favorite mac and cheese. I'll make half a recipe just in case.

My eldest fell in love with the Kraft mac and cheese in a blue box when her nursery school served it, and that was the end of homemade here decades ago. So I will try this recipe, and I am thinking that after Easter, I will make the other half and throw in some left over ham and peas.

Can you imagine not having a favorite mac and cheese recipe. No reason to make it for my DH either as he dislik?s pastas.

And I also don't have a favorite peanut butter cookie recipe as my son was allergic to peanuts. I just could not bake a treat that everyone but him could have. I LOVE peanut butter cookies, so I need a recipe for the grandkids.

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Comments (15)

Georgysmom
14 years ago
So how was the mac and cheese? I'm out of town right now, won't be home until Sunday but will post a peanut butter cookie recipe when I get back.
glenda_al
14 years ago
I used my college home ec book recipe for mac and cheese. I love it, and use it with shell macaroni.

I have always made the flourless pb cookie recipe.

1 egg 1 cup peanut butter 1 cup sugar

So easy so good. I'll share the baking if you want.
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So, I'm a bit obsessive when it comes to finding the perfect recipe. I made a really good mac & cheese about 5 years ago but then when, a few years later, I tried to remember what it was, I could remember and so ended up concluding it was probably Martha's Mac & Cheese. But, today I happened upon Saveur's Artisanal Mac & Cheese and now I'm thinking it might have been that one. They both look really good and instead of me making both and deciding which is the better, anyone out there made both and have an opinion? AND, further, I've read lots of stuff that says that the key to great mac & cheese is dried mustard but neither of these have this. Cook's Illustrated uses that — anyone made all three? thanks!
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Mac and cheese re: Glenda's post
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I use the recipe from my college home ec cookbook, but this one is very close to it. 1 1/2 cups dry elbow macaroni **I prefer the small shells 3 tablespoons butter or margarine 3 tablespoons all purpose flour 2 cups milk not skim 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper 1/8 tsp red pepper 2 cups of shredded cheese I like sharp cheddar Instructions Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring a pot of water to a boil; add a generous sprinkling of salt the pasta. While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a pot large enough to hold the pasta when it's done. Add the flour and stir over medium heat until the mixture is lightly browned; 1-2 minutes. Add the milk and whisk to remove any lumps and add the salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat until the sauce thickens and starts to bubble. About 6 minutes. Stir in the cheese and whisk until smooth and melted. Turn off the heat. When the pasta is almost done but still firm, drain it and add to the sauce. Stir the pasta into the sauce and bake in a greased 2 quart dish and top with more grated cheese Bake at 400 or until bubbly
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ATK Stovetop Mac and Cheese
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Weird recipe. I wonder if they're trying to make it be like the box? Cheddar is the most likely to break and turn into oil and grainy solids if overheated and in a number of other faux pas. American has sodium citrate in it which brings the ooey gooey meltiness. You can buy food grade sodium citrate and transform cheddar or any other cheese into something cooperative. Otherwise, having American in the mix helps a lot. I like some Swiss (Emmentaler) which has tang and stretchiness. So, to me, the "normal" way of making mac and cheese is to cook the macaroni to just barely edible--less cooked than al dente and drain well, shaking the colander so the water gets out from inside (I only use elbows or shells if I call it "mac and cheese" rather than "pasta with cheese sauce". Make a roux--not too dark--and add milk, in the normal way to make a white sauce. Season. I prefer dry onion powder to fresh, wet onion for this. Other flavorings as well, but I'll skip those. With the heat on fairly low, slowly add broken up American cheese (preferably deli style, not singles, but singles will work). Once that's settled, add whatever cheeses you're using, and when it's good and melty, add in grated cheese, stirring and letting it incorporate bit by bit. When it's done, fold in the macaroni and let it heat and finish cooking in the sauce, stirring intermittently until it's done. Alternatively, once combined, spread in a casserole dish, top with bread crumb topping or grated cheese and heat until the topping is browned and it's hot all the way through. Another way to keep the cheddar from breaking, especially if you don't have American or sodium citrate, is to make the sauce, add an easier to melt cheese if you have it, or just go with the white sauce, incorporate the macaroni, and when the macaroni is hot and tender, add grated cheddar and keep stirring on the heat just until the cheddar is more or less melted. The macaroni might get a little broken up but the cheddar shouldn't break.
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I have to add that even though I usually make the recipe I posted above, i grew up with the boxed stuff. And there are times, dark,cold, gloomy times,where nothing but the boxed stuff will hit the spot. It all has its place. Oh, and I think the generic stuff in the box is creamier and cheesier than kraft. Any generic one seems to fit that bill. I do love the blue box though as well. As I said, it all has a place.
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sheilajoyce_gw
Original Author
14 years ago
Well, I lost my post of the recipe. I would love some good peanut butter cookie recipes to try. I like them a little chewy.

White House Macaroni and Cheese
(Reagan's favorite)

1/2 lb elbow macaroni cooked and drained
3 c. grated cheddar
1 Tbsp butter
1 egg, beaten
1 c warm milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dry mustard
dash(es) paprika

Stir into the hot, drained noodles the butter, egg and 2 1/2 c grated cheese. Into the warm milk stir the salt, Worchestershire, and dry mustard and pour over the noodle mixture. Turn into a buttered 2 quart casserole. Sprinkle top with 1/2 c grated cheese and dash(es) of paprika. Bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes.
Georgysmom
14 years ago
I have this recipe. Have had it for many years. It came from the White House Family Cookbook. I love it. Did you enjoy?
gadgets
14 years ago
If you give it a good review, I'll have to try it myself. I don't have any cheddar cheese in the house so it will have to wait a while.

Shirley
Georgysmom
14 years ago
It's oh so easy to make.
sheilajoyce_gw
Original Author
14 years ago
It was good, but not spectacular. Don't know what it would take for me to rate a mac and cheese recipe spectacular.
glenda_al
14 years ago
I always make a white sauce, then add the cheese, and a tad bit of mustard, then mix with the cooked shells, and top with some more cheese and bake in the oven.
gadgets
14 years ago
That sounds good, Glenda, and easy. Thanks for the idea. About how long are you talking for baking?

Shirley
arkansas girl
14 years ago
I've made a recipe like this before and we don't like the stiff consistency of it. I have yet to make a really tasty recipe for mac and cheese. Next time I'm going to use American cheese and make the Luby's recipe.

Here is a link that might be useful: Luby's mac and cheese recipe
azzalea
14 years ago
Mine is similar to Glenda's, but I make my white sauce with half milk, half chicken stock. Then I add as many different cheeses as I can--always some sharp cheddar, usually a bit of Parmesan (or I cook a Parmesan rind in the white sauce as it thickens), then I add whatever I've got in the cheese drawer--some blue crumbles, a few slices of American, a bit of veggie cheese, some cream cheese, maybbe even a dollop of sour cream. The more different cheeses? The more flavor. My Mac and Cheese is always a little different from the last time, but I always get raves (generally the phrase, "It's the best mac and cheese ever' is heard from my dd). I like to top mine with Panko, a spray of butter-flavored pam and a bit of grated sharp cheddar.
glenda_al
14 years ago
From my college home ec recipe book, recipe I always use

1 c macaroni uncooked I use shells
1 1/2 tbl butter/margarine
1 1/2 tbl flour
12 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
dash cayenne
I always add a pinch or so of dry mustard
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/3 cups grated cheese

cook and drain and rinse macaroni

Melt butter
add flour, blend thoroughly, add salt, pepper, and cayenne, and optional mustard
add milk all at once
cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly until uniformly thickened
add 1 cup cheeese to hot white sauce, stir until blended
combine with macaroni
Place in well greased 1 quart baking dish
top with remaining cheese
bake 400 about 30 minutes until sauce is bubbly
susanjf_gw
14 years ago
for a quick fix of kraft, instead of milk use sour cream...
glenda_al
14 years ago
This is the peanut butter cookie recipe I use all the time

****do no use light only regular or crunch peanut butter

3 ingredient peanut butter cookies

1 cup regular peanut butter
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. **I never used parchment paper
2.Combine the peanut butter, white sugar and egg. Mix until smooth.
3.Drop spoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet. **I roll into a ball
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 6 to 8 minutes. Do not overbake! These cookies are best when they are still soft and just barely brown on the bottoms.

Use a fork and dip in water to criscross the cookie dough
marie_ndcal
14 years ago
You might be able to make almond nut cookies, substituting almond butter for peanut butter. I am sure there are recipes out there someplace.

mac and cheese

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