The mayo would be my hesitation to freeze. Some recipes would freeze better than others me thinks. I would probably prep some of the parts ahead in kit form. Maybe grate the cheese now and portion in 1 lb zip lock getting all the air out. You could even add the spice and pepper. Chives and/or another herb would add nice color and flavor. Assemble the night before the first event and fridge them. (i think you have three balls to make?) The no-freeze lists are fine, even the first one posted if you read the copy. It was mentioned to not expect fresh when thawed, but perfectly edible to cook with. I recently roasted a half dozen red peppers and a few dozen halapenos, chopped/sliced, then froze in small useful portions. A bag of limes i juiced and froze in ice cube trays. Meyer lemons i freeze whole and grate a bit as needed... Many things freeze fine if used in cooking or cubed fruit going straight into a smoothy. Saran is a nice tight way to seal something like a cheese ball to keep its shape and get all the air out but it should be further sealed in something heavier like a freezer thick zip-lock. Or foil. Or freezer wrap, parchment. I use to make something i called an AntHill. Lined a small half dome soup bowl with saran, then line it with paper thin provolone from my deli. Lay in some nice herb leaves, chives, basil, parsley, thin slivers of sundried tomatoes...then another layer of thin prov...a layer of nutty pesto, then my cheese ball filling...usually white cheddar, cream cheese and some spice. Fold over the excess saran and chill overnight. Flipped over and un-molded it had a nice see-through design of herbs. Sprinkled with a trail of toasted black sesame seeds for the ants. It was my holiday go-to dish for a few years. Easy to travel to parties. Something like that, kept cold in a ceramic bowl in a chilly part of the fridge, i would be fine making it 4-5 days in advance. I would not freeze it for NewYears if i made it today. But i would shop for the ingredients and have them ready to make a day or two in advance. Cheese grated, herbs washed, and ready for assembly the night before.

I make a combination of Alton Brown's & the Cook's Illustated versions. They're both made on top of the stove, no oven baking. Here's my combined recipe with notes about differing quantities. I use a lot less cheese because of my husband's low sodium diet. And I often use just one egg and a combination of sharp cheddar & Swiss (Swiss is naturally lower in sodium content). But, all in all, the recipe satisfies our mac & cheese hankerings and is quite easy. CookâÂÂs Illustrated & Alton Brown Serves 4 as a main course or 6-8 as a side dish Toasted Bread Crumbs (Cook's Illustrated): 1cup fresh breadcrumbs from French or Italian bread Pinch table salt 1 ý tablespoons unsalted butter, melted Creamy Macaroni and Cheese: 2 large eggs 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk (AltonâÂÂs recipe calls for only 6 oz. milk) ü teaspoon hot pepper sauce 2 teaspoons table salt, divided use (I omit) ü teaspoon ground black/white pepper 1 teaspoon dry mustard, dissolved in 1 teaspoon water (or prepared mustard) ý pound elbow macaroni 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 12 ounces (about 3 cups) sharp cheddar cheese, grated (AltonâÂÂs recipe calls for 10 oz. of cheese; I use only 8 oz.) Instructions: Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bread crumbs and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl. Meanwhile, mix eggs, 1 cup of the evaporated milk, pepper sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, pepper, and mustard mixture in small bowl; set aside. Meanwhile, heat 2 quarts water to boil in large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt and macaroni; cook until almost tender, but still a little firm to the bite (I cook the macaroni a bit more). Drain and return to pan over low heat. Add butter; toss to melt. Pour egg mixture over buttered noodles along with three-quarters of the cheese; stir until thoroughly combined and cheese starts to melt. Gradually add remaining milk (DonâÂÂt let it get too soupy) and cheese, stirring constantly, until mixture is hot and creamy, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately topped with toasted bread crumbs.

Christine, I've never tried it, but because temperature is so crucial to the success of mozzarella, I'm not sure it would work well. My last batch came out tough because the whey wasn't quite hot enough when I put the cheese back in before the final step of stretching. The temperature difference was less than 5 degrees. Of course, mozzarella making is relatively new to me, I took the class just a few months ago. If I were going to try to store the curd, I'd store it in the whey. When you're ready to use it, cut it, drain it, heat the whey back to temp and add the curd so it can be stretched. Will this work? Beats me, but I think it would be worth a try sometime when the finished product isn't crucial... Annie

My homemade mac and cheese.My kids put it first on the list for Thanksgiving dinner.LOL Mac and Cheese 1 stick salted butter 2 T.flour 1 1/2 C. shredded mild Cheddar cheese 1 1/2 C. shredded Monterrey jack cheese 1 tsp. black pepper (or to taste) I don't add salt because the pasta is cooked in salted water,butter is salted and cheese is salty.You may prefer to add salt but should taste first to be sure it needs it. Mix together 1/2 C.of both cheeses for topping. About 6 cups pasta cooked al dente in salted water and drained well.You can use elbow macaroni,spirals,whatever you like.I use elbow because it is traditional. Melt butter in a large sauce pan then add the flour and pepper.Stir until well blended and bubbly.About 5 min.To this mixture whisk in the half and half.Heat on low heat until just simmering.Add the cheese,stirring constantly with a whisk until the cheese is melted and mixture is smooth.Remove from heat.Put the macaroni in a large bowl and pour the cheese mixture over it and stir until well mixed.Spray a large casserole with non stick cooking spray or coat with butter.Pour half the mixture into the casserole and top with 1/2 C. reserved cheeses.Pour the rest of the mixture in and top with remainder of cheese.Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 25-30 min until bubbly and cheese is lightly brown.