That's somewhat similar to the way we always made it, but I would never put Monterey Jack in mac & cheese, unless I was aiming to satisfy the Kraft Krowd.

Best quality sharpest NY State Cheddar only. And a bit of worcestershire in the bechamel and more cayenne than that. No breadcrumbs.

The quality of the cheese makes the dish.

Oh, and slow bake, never broil, or it's just pasta in sauce with a crust on top.

I use mascapone to add creaminess and second the sharp cheddar.

/tricia

I never eat normal Macaroni and cheese, but if I did make it, I would add sauteed chilies to the bechamel, eliminating the need for Worcestershire sauce. You can use a combination of mild and hot ripe red peppers for this - I generally use about half and half, depending on how hot my chilies are. If you have Habaneros, add some of those - you might need five or six for 30 people plus five or six red bell peppers. They are better if you grill them first, but sauteing works fine also. Chili and cheese is a great combination.

Lars

I like Patti Labelle's recipes... hang on to your waistline though

Oprah.com Food and Home
Over-the-Rainbow Macaroni and Cheese
Recipe created by Patti LaBelle
From the show /Recipes to Remember/

Patti LaBelle says that the sure sign of a good cook is if their macaroni and cheese will make you cry! According to Oprah, Patti's version just might bring tears to your eyes.

INGREDIENTS

* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
* 1 pound elbow macaroni

* 8 tablespoons (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon butter

* 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Muenster cheese
* 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded mild Cheddar cheese
* 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
* 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack

* 2 cups half-and-half
* 1 cup (8 ounces) Velveeta, cut into small cubes
* 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
* 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
* 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a deep 2 1/2-quart casserole.

Bring the large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the oil, then the elbow macaroni, and cook until the macaroni is just tender, about 7 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain well. Return to the cooking pot.

In a small saucepan, melt eight tablespoons of the butter. Stir into the macaroni. In a large bowl, mix the Muenster, mild and sharp Cheddar, and
Monterey Jack cheeses.

To the macaroni, add the half-and-half, 1 1/2
cups of the shredded cheese, the cubed Velveeta, and the eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the buttered casserole. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese and dot with the remaining one tablespoon of butter.

Bake until it's bubbling around the edges, about 35 minutes. Serve hot.

I like Ina Garten's Mac and cheese recipes. She has two, one with tomatoes and one with lobster meat ( you can easily skip the lobster). My go to recipes

This is the ONLY great mac and cheese ! :) It is just like my Mom used to make in the 40's and 50's. Custard...the only way to do it....the white sauce/cheese thing is SO ugh !

2 cups uncooked macaroni
4 large eggs
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 c sour cream
enough whole milk added to eggs and sour cream to make 4 cups
2 T butter melted and add to 1 c Panko bread crumbs with 1/2 c Fontinella cheese grated
Salt 1 tsp added to custard
Pepper
1 tbsp dry mustard powder
Directions:
Preheat over to 350 degrees. Butter a casserole pan or dish.

Cook macaroni just till tender about 12 minutes. Run cool water over and drain well.

In a 4 quart measuring bowl, break the 4 eggs and beat to mix well. Add 1c sour cream and enough milk ( I use buttermilk...so good ) to make 4 cups total of egg and milk mixture. Mix well.Add 1 tsp salt, pepper and the mustard powder. ( do not use less mustard...best if you grind your own yellow mustard seeds fresh )

Pour macaroni into greased 13x 9 casserole. Loosely mix in cheddar cheese to distribute evenly. Pour egg and milk mixture over the mac and cheese to cover (this will form a soft custard). Top with the bread crumb/butter/cheese mixture. Should be pretty thick.

. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes until custard sets up.change oven to broiler and get the crumbs sizzling and crisp.

This is good cold for breakfast...in fact this will convert anyone who has never had mac and cheese nirvana :) c

The secret to a great mac is SIMPLICITY. You dont need to add anything extra. I wouldnt put the ham or any of the spices in, especially if there are kids there. The only flavoring you need is SALT, and you add it to the pasta water, not the sauce. When you boil the water, salt it HEAVILY. You really cant oversalt the water like you could the sauce.This will flavor the pasta. That is the reason it was bland. you can make the best sauce ever but if you put it on bland pasta it will be bland, period. The other secret is the cheese. I use american and sharp or extra sharp cheddar. The american makes it creamy, the cheddar has the flavor. The only reason i would put jack cheese in mac and cheese is if i had extra laying around. It also adds creaminess, but doesnt have enough flavor for mac and cheese. But use what you like. (swiss,blue whatever, as long as it has a lot of flavor)Also make sure you put ENOUGH cheese in. No point in being stingy. Instead of breadcrumbs on top, i only use MORE CHEESE. It will get browned and crispy and add extra yumminess. You can trust me on this, im a southern girl and a mac and cheese PRO.

Oh, if you must add something, i find a little finely diced onion lightly cooked in the butter before adding the flour adds a little dimension without overpowering it. I usually skip this when there are younger kids involved though.

Thanks - I really can't go out shopping again, and have about an hour to throw this together in the morning (I also have to mull 3 gallons of cider). I bought a Kraft Colby/Jack blend (all I could find) since the CI recipe called for Jack, and a "sharp" shredded cheddar (Wellsley Farms from BJs) but it's nowhere near as sharp as we eat with crackers (which crumbles, you can't slice or shred it).

I do have red onion I can dice and sautee in the butter for the bechamel (I think the CI was a little heavy on the flour, 6T for 5T of butter). I also have yellow onion if that's better (color, so kids won't notice). There aren't any really young kids, the youngest are about 10, most are teens. And the coordinator said to put ham in b/c the boys always want meat (she was going to make pasta fagiole but I thought that would get mushy). I personally didn't think it was necessary to add ham for a hot lunch, the kids will have dinner at home, she just wanted to give them something hot to eat (though it will be 60 by the time the parade ends) b/c it's usually windy up there, and it will be cool when we start off.

I'd skip the cayenne too, though I'd put it in for my family (DD won't eat mac and cheese OR anything spicy but the rest of us enjoy a little heat). Definitely no habaneros (I only have Hinkelhatz and Aji Limon but still think that's a bit much for kids)! Sorry Lars ;-)

What I bought:

3 quarts of 2% milk (used 1)
2.5 lbs "sharp" shredded cheddar
1.5 lbs shredded Colby/Jack
1.5 lbs diced smoked ham
Frozen peas
2 lbs shells
2 lbs elbows (I was going to do 1 vegetarian so got 2 different kinds of pasta)

What I have on hand:

1/2 lb block Seriously Sharp Cabot Cheddar
1 lb (? 2 balls) mozzarella
Kraft shredded mozzarella (part skim)
Kraft shredded Mexican blend (may be low fat)
grated Pecorino Romano
Cream cheese
Sour Cream
Red onions
Yellow onions
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Dry mustard
Sea Salt
Black pepper
Old Bay
Paprika
The usual dried herbs and spices (and I think some Lea & Perrins)
Panko
Unsalted butter
Flour
Maybe 6-8 eggs

Oh, and I've got almost $60 into this ($10 ham, $30 cheese and cider plus foil pans, pasta, milk) which seems REALLY expensive, but considering for yesterday's parade we made 4 dozen sandwiches (expecting 3 dozen people and had fewer than that but some parents who came to watch ate some, and some of the boys had seconds) that might be about what they usually spend. I know she bought 3.5lbs of cheese, 3 lbs of ham, 3 lbs of turkey, 5 dozen rolls (had 1 dozen left over) and 3 gal of cider (at $5/gal) plus chips and apples. Even if we only have 20 kids and 4-5 parents tomorrow $2.50/pp isn't bad. But I'd rather not go buying more stuff.

This post was edited by ajsmama on Mon, Nov 10, 14 at 20:33

I don't add onions, ham, or tomatoes to mac and cheese (although I love to slip some sliced tomato into a grilled cheese sandwich ;)

I've crumbled bacon over the top for those who think they must have a bite of meat....

A little mozzarella will give that gooey fork-to-mouth-feel and seems to enhance the sharpness of the cheddar, but if you think yours was bland, shaving some parmesan into it will pick it up a notch or two and add the salty taste you thought was missing.

I don't have a block of Parm, have a tub of grated/powdered (not the green shaker stuff, though come to think of it there may be one DS brought home from a Scout trip in the back of the fridge somewhere).

Wow, don't know what happened to my 2nd paragraph but what do you think of this recipe? I don't have all the aged cheddar. I could stir some cream cheese in for creaminess, I'm not sure about sour cream. And I'd probably skip the Panko - it might get soggy covered in the cooler for that long (I have microwavable hot pads that came with Pyrex pan and tote set, hope this will stay warm).

Here is a link that might be useful: Classic mac and cheese

This post was edited by ajsmama on Mon, Nov 10, 14 at 20:50

I never understand why people put eggs in mac and cheese. Skip the spices,the onions too. Make a BASIC cheese sauce, add some of the cabot cheese and parm to enhance the flavor of the shredded stuff,bake it, serve it, and bask in the admiration of all who partake. (REMEMBER SALT SALT SALT THE PASTA WATER)

Hmmm... this SALT SALT SALT the boiling pasta may be why I don't like pasta-I've never salted the water. I'm definitely going to try it. Thanks ! : )

Honestly? I think if you use the right amount of salt, and add the cayenne it called for, the original Cooks Illustrated recipe you were given will be just fine. I mean think about it, because of the error you decreased the dry mustard by two thirds, and then you left out all of the salt⦠That's going to make it bland, right?

If you are worried add a bit of exta cheese ..... The sharper and more pungent the better.

The cayenne won't be enough to make it spicy per se ... It adds that dimension that was missing. A contrast to the cheese.

Don't do any more work than that⦠Don't forget your audience!

(edited errors)

This post was edited by mtnrdredux on Mon, Nov 10, 14 at 22:51

The classic mac recipe looks good to me. Its basically the recipe i use, except for the cheeses. Although i will say its a bit stingy on the amount of cheese. I also skip the panko. Cheese makes the best topping...for anything...but especially for this.

Thanks for all the help - I'm going to make roux with equal amounts butter and flour as I was taught, make sure to heavily salt the pasta water, use the full amount of mustard (oops!) and throw in some Romano, see how the sauce tastes then. Might add cayenne if needed, and I will sacrifice my Cabot to the greater good if I have to ;-)

It's a bunch of middle (and some high) school kids, can't get too fussy about it, right? Main thing is keeping it warm!

The Dec 13 parade down at the shore is going to be fun - I may just take the double propane burner (in my truck, not on the bus) and do soup for that!

You have a recipe that you know the majority of the members like. Why not just salt the pasta and prepare the recipe as it's written?

Trust me AJ ... Put in the cayenne ... It's purpose is not to make it cayenney .... It's not called Spicy Mac n Cheese, is it? or South of the Border Mac.

Mac n cheese needs pepper. You won't notice it, it'll just taste better.

Hope everyone appreciates it!

>Put in the cayenne ... It's purpose is not to make it cayenney

Agree! You won't taste it as a separate entity; it just brightens the dish a bit.

She's made this for her family, not the corps, and I didn't ask what brand of cheese she used. I also didn't have the page that said to add 1 T of salt to the pasta water, and I skipped the tsp of salt in the sauce b/c I didn't know how salty the cheese/ham would be. But I'll make it per the complete recipe I found online (as I said, reducing the flour in the roux, and adding more flavorful cheese) and hope for the best!

DH says I shouldn't put peas in since kids don't like peas, but I think if you have ham you should have peas (in 1 pan anyway). What do you think? We put (iceberg) lettuce on the sandwiches and I didn't see any kids taking it off. DD is taking a sandwich, she won't eat anything with a sauce on it, or casseroles of any kind (and only small amounts of vegetables on the side).

Oh my gosh, you sound just like my mom!!! (thats not really an insult) She HAD to put peas in any casserole that had ham in it!!!! We always picked them out. I liked peas, and still do....but i personally wouldn't put them in...im an adult and would be put off by peas in my mac and cheese. Lettuce on a sandwich is different. It doesn't have as strong a flavor as peas. Im biased though, and a mac and cheese purist i confess. However, its your deal, maybe one pan would be alright. I would be curious to see if you laid them all out and let the kids help themselves which would be the last to go though.....
Have you thought of making scalloped potatoes with ham instead of mac and cheese? Its VERY easy and potatoes go better with ham (and peas) than pasta. Its the same exact sauce as the mac, layered with thinly sliced potatoes( i use the slicing attachement on my kitchenaid mixer), salt and pepper a few onions between layers,a little extra milk poured over the top add cheese. Baked together for about an hour...SO GOOD!!!!! I know you said you dont want to change directions right now, but maybe for next time......my nieces and nephews love that stuff.

Oh, please don't put peas in the kid's Mac 'n Cheese!

/tricia

No peas. One, the purpose of Mac n cheese is broad like ability. Many kids don't like peas and very few delight in them. Nearly everyone likes Mac n cheese.

Two, IMHO, peas are a doubling down on starch. I like fresh broccoli in my Mac n cheese if I want a veggie mixed in.

Nutmeg. Add nutmeg to any mac and cheese and it will be awesomely good!

This is what I use, from The Silver Palate Cookbook. Both mac and cheese and fettuccine alfredo benefit from nutmeg.

Here is a link that might be useful: Macaroni or ziti

I know I am too late with this recipe.
But I wanted to add it anyhow.
I never liked Mac & cheese,
It always seemed tasteless and kind of 'gummy' to me.
Then I found and tried this recipe,
I can almost eat my weight in it,
It is that good! ! !

I use sharp cheddar, even extra sharp sometimes,
But I find kids prefer it made with medium cheddar.
At times I have put cubed ham in it,
Even some canned tomatoes are good in it,
But for goodness sakes, NO PEAS! ! !
As someone noted, that is just adding to the carbs,
And not adding any desirable flavor.

JAMES BEARD'S MACARONI AND CHEESE

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons flour

2 cups milk

Dash of freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon Tabasco or more to taste

1/2 cup heavy cream or creme fraiche

1/2 lb. macaroni elbows or double elbows

3/4 lb. grated cheddar cheese

Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, and stir it with a wooden spoon or spatula for around 3 minutes, until the roux is frothy and the taste of raw flour is gone. Meanwhile, heat the milk in another pan. (Note: I heat it in the microwave in the measuring cup) Add the warm milk gradually to the roux, stirring hard all the while. Turn up the heat and cook, stirring, until the sauces is just at the boiling point. Turn down the heat and let it simmer for a few minutes. Now add the pepper and Tabasco. Don't be afraid of the Tabasco; it will help bring out the taste of the cheese. Stir in the heavy cream or creme fraiche and simmer a little longer, until the flavors are blended.

Cook macaroni according to package directions, and drain well.

Mix three-quarters of the grated cheese into the simmering sauce. As soon as it melts, combine it with the drained macaroni, and pour it into a baking pan.

Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese, and bake for 20 to 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Enjoy!
Rusty

About 50 years ago I played around with mac and cheese ideas. Have made it this way ever since. Everyone asks for the recipe.

THE BACKWARDS MAC AND CHEESE RECIPE

1 cup small macaroni boiled until aldente

1 medium yellow onion, diced
About 2 cups Cabot's sharp cheese, cubed in small pieces.
4 ounces cream cheese, cut in small pieces
1 heaping teaspoon of Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons of celery seed
Diced ham (optional)

Whole milk

2 cups fresh bread crumbs, buttered

METHOD

Strain cooked macaroni and place into a casserole.
Add all other ingredients except milk and stir to combine.
Pour milk over all until it just almost reaches the outside top edge of the contents, not the top of the casserole.
Stir again.
Place covered casserole in a 375 degree oven for 1 hour.
Remove casserole, stir the contents well combining all.
Spread buttered bread crumbs on top, and continue baking, uncovered, until bread crumbs brown.

So many good recipes here! If we make it again I'll try them.

I didn't have a chance to check in before making it this morning. I started at 6:15 and at 8:15 after showering (oven turned off after baking at 350, not broiling, and burner for cider turned off) I was running to pour the cider in the 5 gal Igloo and get the pans in the cooler. But we made it - drove up to Springfield and found they'd pushed start to 11AM instead of 10. So it sat longer than expected but was still warm and the cider was so hot we had to add cold cider in.

I did have a little problem with the sauce - I made a double batch (for 2 lbs of pasta) at a time, poured it in with about 1 lb diced ham (decided that was enough) and yes 1/2 package of peas. Then put the pan (which still had cheese sauce in it) back on burner to add more cheese sauce (I had almost 1C from last night) and more cheese, I didn't think I needed more roux. Burner was off but sauce burnt to bottom so I only poured a little over the 2nd pan before I realized, put 2nd lb of pasta in with just lots of shredded cheese, melted a stick of butter and some milk in the MW and poured over, mixed in, stuck in oven, mixed some more then topped with more cheese. Guess which one they went for first? But they said it was all good, they were going back for the ham & pea version even before the plain was gone. I think teenagers will eat anything (of course DD wouldn't touch it). I think we ate 3/4 of it (so 3 lbs of pasta) and there were 23 kids and 4 adults counting the bus driver (who said she didn't like peas but liked this and took the leftovers home).

Next time I'm not going to get so involved making the sauce - I'll melt butter, milk and cheese together and if it's not thick enough I'll add roux but I'd definitely add more cheese, less milk and flour than CI calls for (I used less than 3 quarts b/c I wasted some in the burnt sauce, so 1/2 gal was probably enough for 4 lbs of pasta, but I used 3 sticks of butter, 2 in the roux and 1 in the last pan). The cayenne wasn't noticeable and I did heavily salt the water, and put about 1 tsp of salt in the first cheese sauce but none in the 2nd pan (butter/milk) and I don't think they missed it. I forgot to bring salt and pepper but I've got some plastic shakers I'll throw in the box with cups and flatware so we have it with us.

I'm glad it went well and kudos to you for going thru all that trouble. Here's to all the unsung moms who cater so many school events with such care!

nandine: that's how my mother made it, and it was always very moist, not so "tight" as can happen when we start with bechamel......Good recipe.

mtnrdredux - this was nothing compared to cooking 2 kinds of soup (they also had sausage and peppers, I wasn't running the grill, I just had the vegetarians to cook for) for hundreds of people in the rain at the beginning of Oct! I signed up to help and the head cook just told me to do what I want, here's what we have, he had to perform!

nandina - that's almost what I did for 2nd pan, how much (in lbs) is 1C (uncooked) pasta? I can weigh it, just trying to get a feel for how much cheese vs pasta - sounds very cheesy (in a good way!).

DH asked who was doing the meal for the December parade, that's at night so actually I'm hoping we can just do hot cider and cookies and not have to do soup. The next parade isn't until St. Patrick's Day at the earliest so no more meals on the go (just the holiday party) until then.

Cheese is salty, the sharper ones seem the saltiest. I've made bland tasting pasta dishes though, and the problem is usually that I forgot to adequately salt the pasta while cooking it. Also definitely use cheddar and maybe American or Colby. Nothing wrong with monterey jack, but it is the mildest tasting of the group, which is why I think "colby jack" might be a good choice for future versions. I find they usually add the mustard to sauces they are making with a lower fat cheese to add the tang that low fat cheeses lack. A pinch of cayenne might not even be noticeable and is perhaps designed to do the same thing, add some of the kick that might be missing if you use a blander type of cheese. So if you don't want to add mustard or cayenne, I think the trick would be to use some sharper tasting cheese like aged cheddar, provolone, etc. I like to use fontina, but that too is a mild cheese, but it is creamy. Aged cheeses can be grainy so I think that's why there is usually a mix.

Interesting thread, and I'm so glad it all went well.

Something to remember for next time is that if you use good firm pasta, you can make adjustments even after the cheese and pasta are mixed, and even after it's been in the oven awhile. Maybe not the custard version (kugel), but definitely for the cheese sauce version. Just taste carefully, distribute the adjustment as best you can, stir, and put it back in for at least 10 minutes. :)

I always use onion, though usually dehydrated onion powder so it doesn't make lumps. Cheddar is best for a crowd like the drum corps, for price and convenience as well as familiarity, but all kinds of pungent cheeses can be good. Gruyere, fontina, even brie or gorgonzola. Just balance something very strong with other cheeses. I use up weird ends. :)

Then there's the mix-ins. :) Salsa picante stirred in (plentifully, and with "lumps" (the veg in the salsa)) when it's nearly done but not set is my favorite. With whiter, more italian cheeses, pepperoni seasoning, or actual pepperoni dices. Any kinds of cooked chopped vegetables. Barbecue sauce and leftover grilled veg is a favorite. You could also add shreds of meat.

Mac and cheese can be great on its own, but in my house it's usually a vehicle for cleaning the fridge. :)

We call it "Tex-Mex casserole" but our favorite "macaroni and cheese" type dish is ground meat cooked with cumin and garlic powder, maybe some sauteed onions if I have them, mixed with cooked macaroni, refried beans heated in MW with a cup of salsa stirred in, cheese (usually the Kraft Mexican blend), and topped with more shredded cheese and crushed tortilla strips. Even DD will eat that one! DS and DH take more salsa and/or hot sauce on the side.

Come to think of it, maybe I'll make that next time we want to bring a casserole to a parade. They'd never done it before so were glad to see that food was still warm after that long, but I really think the microwaveable hot pads were the key - in fact, there was room in the cooler so if I had had time I was thinking of pouring some of the hot cider into a 1/2 gal mason jar and putting it in, even a hot water bottle would help (though would that make food smell/taste like rubber?). I also wrapped the top pan in a bath towel, would do that again for both pans.

I like to add a (little) stinky cheese like Feta to mac/ cheese. Esp. if the other cheese is lacking in either flavor or I'm a little short on cheddar. A bit of Swiss is also good.

A white sauce with cheeses added and then mixed with cooked (well salted) macaroni and baked is the best. My daughter and I discovered that using both a sharp cheddar AND regular cream cheese gives a wonderfully creamy mac&cheese.

Also recommend using crushed croûtons sprinkled over the top (instead of bread crumbs). Put in a bag and use a rolling pin to crush.

Also...any 'tube-like' macaroni is wonderful. Ziti, for example. The tube fills with the creamy cheese mixture and creates a fantastic mouthful.