Berthas Highly Requested 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.

BERTHA'S "HIGHLY-REQUESTED" MACARONI & CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook pasta as directed.
• Butter 9x13-inch pan and sprinkle with some of the first bag of shredded cheese (2 tbsp or to taste).
• Drain pasta and leave sitting in strainer while mixing liquids.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk the two eggs until mixed.
• Mix in both cans of evaporated milk.
• Mix in sugar, Lawry's, white pepper, Accent, and cayenne pepper.
• Put pasta in bowl and add liquid mixture- liquid should cover pasta (or be within 1/4")- if it doesn't, add evaporated milk from the third can until it does. Add the rest of the first bag of shredded cheese.
• Stir until mixed completely.
• Pour mixture into 9x13-inch buttered pan.
• Spread second bag of shredded cheese evenly across the top.
• Cook at 350°F for 40 minutes or until brown and bubbly.
• Enjoy!
• GREAT TIP: To increase the moisture, cook your pasta the day before and let it soak in the liquid mixture (everything but the cheese). Leave it covered overnight in the refrigerator - the next day the pasta will have absorbed a good portion of the liquid so you'll need to use a couple extra cans of evaporated milk and perhaps 1 more egg, but the texture is oh-so lovely!

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.

STOVETOP MAC AND CHEESE WITH FIVE STIR-IN IDEAS

Steps:

• For the mac and cheese: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the macaroni until al dente (the lower range of the cooking time on the box). Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water before draining, then return the macaroni to the pot. Add the butter and stir until melted.
• Whisk together the cornstarch, Dijon, hot sauce and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl, then gradually whisk in the evaporated milk. Add to the pot with the macaroni, along with the pasta cooking water, and cook over medium-high heat until bubbling. Take off the heat and add the cheese, stirring until melted.
• Serve immediately either plain or with your desired stir-ins.