Macaroni & Cheese

[BrianR]

As a former professional cook, you should have asked me when you had the chance!

I use either three or four cheeses, Fontina, Velveeta (no shame in that), Parmesan and Mozzarella. To make a roux is simple yet tough for the uninitiated. You heat the heavy cream (only way IMO) to just before boiling, add all-purpose flour and cook to thicken (boiling point). When you smell nutty aromas coming from the pan, that's it! Do NOT heat past that point or you will ruin it.

When the roux is ready, add the cheese and melt, stirring constantly until smooth and blended. THEN add the cheese to the already-cooked (Al Dente) pasta and toss to coat. Bake at 350 for 30 mins. Add toppings as you desire.

I use lightly crushed Corn Flakes, french-fried onions, or similar crunchy things. You may also add to the M&C as you desire...ham cubes, peas, carrots, chopped chicken, crumbled ground beef, tomatoes etc.

Once you master Mac and Cheese, experiment to taste.

Brian

[Stormieweather]

I cheat. Buy a bottle of three cheese sauce (in the spagetti sauce section), boil some ziti, dice up a 1/2 lb of sharp cheddar cheese and a ham steak, then mix it all together. Sprinkle some more grated cheddar on top along with a light feathering of bread crumbs and bake at 375 degrees for 20 mins.

Presto!

[Cicero]

My most recent recipe doesn't even include making a roux. You throw all of the ingredients in the baking dish and presto! The sauce makes itself!!! Yea! I am a fan of that.


Splash the milk, butter and egg in there (the baking dish) and it ends up creamy. I like that much better than labouring over the sauce. I like 3 cheeses but again, they usually don't include velveeta. Why when you don't have to? Of course I don't eat anything that contains velveeta anymore...I've seen that stuff harden, and I don't want whatever that is, happening to my guts.

[skysidhe]

Originally Posted by Stormieweather

I cheat. Buy a bottle of three cheese sauce (in the spagetti sauce section), boil some ziti, dice up a 1/2 lb of sharp cheddar cheese and a ham steak, then mix it all together. Sprinkle some more grated cheddar on top along with a light feathering of bread crumbs and bake at 375 degrees for 20 mins.

Presto!

I was wondering if that kind of cheese actually had any usefulness. Now I know it makes a good base?

[monster]

Corn starch is your friend.

Forget all that Bechemel and roux business (Bechemel is not actually a cheese sauce -it's a white sauce, adding cheese makes it Mornay or something like that)

Heat milk in a pan until just starting to boil. While it's heating, dissolve some corn starch into some cold milk in a cup. Remove the pan from the heat, gently pour in the cold milk/corn starch mix stiriing all the time. Return to heat, keep stirring and bring back to boil. If you don't stir enough it can get a bit lumpy, but that's easily countered with the use of a balloon whisk. It will not be grainy. When it's thickened and is making volcano-like bubbles, turn off the heat and add grated cheese af any type that takes your fancy. Sharp cheddar is good for a really cheesy taste. You can season at any point. And if the kids want it Kraft day-glo orange, add food color at this point

Mix with cooked mac.

To get really fancy, sprinkle more grated cheese and home-made breadcrubs on top, and a little black pepper and shove it under the broiler until it starts to bubble and brown.

To get really really fancy, mix in precooked bacon, peas, onions lightly fried in butter......anything.

[classicman]

Gee Monster can you ship me a plate of that? I'm hungry now!

[Aliantha]

If bechamel sauce is not a cheese sauce, I'd like to know what it is.

[footfootfoot]

alfredo?

[footfootfoot]

Monster shoots and scores.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A9chamel

[classicman]

Béchamel sauce is also known as white sauce, is a basic sauce that is used as the base for other sauces, such as Mornay sauce, which is Béchamel and cheese. This basic sauce, one of the mother sauces of French cuisine, is usually made today by whisking scalded milk gradually into a white flour-butter roux (equal part butter and flour), though it can also be made by whisking a kneaded flour-butter beurre manié into scalded milk. The thickness of the final sauce depends on the proportions of milk and flour.

[Aliantha]

So the french call it bechamel with cheese, or mornay or whatever. What about bechamel sauce with mustard for corned beef?

The recipe I supplied was what is commonly known as bechamel sauce. adding cheese makes it what is commonly known as cheese sauce or mornay if that's your preference.

Just because you choose not to make yourself a cheese sauce that way because it's too hard, although I can't see the difficulty, doesn't mean you have to denegrate other suggestions. You don't need to tell everyone else they're wrong all the time.

[monster]

What they said. It's very bland, though, so not suprisingly most people add stuff. The lasagna recipes I have all call for bechamel sauce -the only cheese is on the top at the end. I notice that when you google lasgna recipes, may come up with alternate layers of cheese, meat sauce and noodles rather than bechamel sauce, meat sauce and noodles. Maybe a continental difference?

btw, the main reason for using corn starch is that it's much more forgiving than regular flour -you can slosh it all in in one go and if it does go a little lumpy, it's easily rescuable with a balloon whisk. My method makes a mac and cheese all my kids will eat and takes less than 20 mins. It's not fancy but it's real food.

[monster]

hmm. seems I take way to long composing my posts. I wouldn't have bothered with the second one if I'd known the effect of the first one. Denigrate? Or were you perchance not referring to me? get over yourself and stop being such a silly twerp. I don't give a shit about you, I was trying to help clobble and it's no help if you're given -albeit well-meaning- incorrect information. You are not the only one who mentioned roux. It really isn't all about you. there are just easier ways to make a cheese sauce. Not necessarily better, but easier.

[Aliantha]

Well I don't think there's much difference in the cooking time for yours or any of the others.

Mac and cheese is traditionally a quick fix meal, and from what I can see, all the recipes supplied offer about the same level of nutrition (which is not a lot lol) and preparation time, again, not a lot.

I would have thought everyone would use a whisk to make a white sauce anyway. I know I do.

People will make whatever they like to make and cook how they like to cook. I guess if Clod likes one or the other recipe that's good, but it doesn't make one any better than the other. I reckon they probably all taste pretty good. That's why people have offered their own recipes. Because they and their families like them.

[dar512]

Originally Posted by monster

I notice that when you google lasgna recipes, may come up with alternate layers of cheese, meat sauce and noodles rather than bechamel sauce, meat sauce and noodles. Maybe a continental difference?

Must be. All the lasagne I see around here use meat sauce and ricotta between the layers.