Aunt Darlenes Macaroni Cheese Recipes

THE BEST BAKED MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just slightly softened, about 6 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and rinse under cold water.
• Meanwhile, remove the crusts from the bread and cut into 1-inch cubes. Pulse in the food processor until the bread breaks into bean-sized pieces.
• Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring, until toasted, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.
• Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, mustard powder and cayenne. Cook, whisking constantly, until smooth and slightly golden, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cook, whisking occasionally, until the sauce begins to boil and thicken, about 7 minutes, then remove from heat. Stir in the fontina, Gruyere and all but 1 1/2 cups of the Cheddar until fully melted. Stir in the pasta, adding the reserved pasta water as needed to make a creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
• Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a small bowl in the microwave. Brush a 9-by-13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with the melted butter. Spread the pasta mixture in the prepared dish. Sprinkle the remaining Cheddar evenly over the pasta, then scatter the toasted breadcrumbs on top. Bake until heated through and just bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

AUNT DARLENE'S MACARONI & CHEESE

Steps:

• Boil macaroni until tender, then drain water completely.
• Put macaroni in a large bowl.
• Stir in cheese from package and butter as required on box directions. Stir eggs and evaporated milk together. Add to macaroni mixture. Add additional milk until it covers macaroni. Stir it up!
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour the mixture into pan and stir in all of the shredded (and chunked) cheese reserving about 1 1/2 to 2 cups shredded cheese for the top.
• Cook on 375°F until cheese is golden brown.

OLD-FASHIONED MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook macaroni in boiling water until almost tender; drain. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, melt butter. Stir in the flour, salt, mustard, pepper and pepper sauce until smooth. Cook for 1 minute or until bubbly. Stir in the macaroni, milk and 4 cups cheese. , Transfer to an ungreased 13x9-in. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until bubbly. Uncover; sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

DELILAH'S 7 CHEESE MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until slightly al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside to keep warm.
• Whisk the eggs in a large bowl until frothy.
• Add the Velveeta, butter and 2 cups of the half-and-half to the large bowl of eggs. Add the warm macaroni tossing until the cheese has melted and the mixture is smooth. Add the remaining half-and-half, 3 cups of the sharp yellow Cheddar, the remaining grated cheeses, and salt and pepper, tossing until completely combined in the large bowl.
• Pour the mixture into 9 by 13-inch casserole or baking dishes (approximately 3 (3-quart) baking dishes) and bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of sharp yellow cheese and bake until golden brown on top, about 30 minutes more.
• Serve hot.

FALL TO YOUR KNEES MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Grease a 13 x 9 nonstick metal baking pan with 1 Tbsp butter.
• Preheat oven to 350.
• Prepare macaroni according to package directions, cook until al dente.
• Add a pinch of salt and a dash of olive oil to the boiling water while cooking.
• Drain pasta well and pour into the baking pan.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the heavy cream, half-and-half, and sour cream.
• Break the cream cheese into small pieces and add it to the bowl.
• Add the egg, flour, worcestershire, garlic and onion powder, dry mustard, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg.
• Combine very well with a wire whisk to break up the cream cheese. It will still look lumpy when your done.
• Place and push down the Velveeta and White Vermont cheddar cubes into the pasta. Work your way around the whole dish, through and toward the middle (they don't have to be completely pushed to the bottom because they will spring up , but just push them down as best you can). Now sprinkle the wondeful Gruyère cheese evenly over the top.
• Pour the mixture on top evenly, covering all of it.
• Gently shake the pan afterwards to make sure that the liquid is even.
• Push down and make little holes into the mixture with your fingers. (You're just helping to get some of that Gruyère down deeper below the surface.).
• Sprinkle the Jack-and-Cheddar combo over the mixture and sprinkle the paprika on top.
• Put in the oven on the middle rack.
• Bake until brown and bubbly. (30-45 minutes).

NANNY'S SIMPLE MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Boil pasta according to package in salted water.
• For firmer pasta reduce boiling time by a few minutes.
• Drain.
• Grease a deep casserole dish (I use a spray).
• Place a layer of macaroni, enough to cover the bottom, in the casserole dish.
• Add a layer of cheese slices covering the macaroni.
• Very lightly season with salt and pepper (I actually skip this and we add salt and pepper to taste on our individual servings).
• Repeat these layers until you are out of pasta.
• Pour milk over the casserole until the milk almost reaches the top of the casserole dish (It doesn't take much because the dish is already full of pasta and cheese).
• Bake covered for about 45 minutes to an hour in a 350 degree oven.
• You'll know it is finished cooking when the milk is no longer liquid.
• Sometimes I add leftover ham chunks to the layers.
• Cook time and servings are approximate!