Stephanies Mac N Cheese Recipes

MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 9- by 13-inch baking dish.
• In a small saucepan over moderate heat, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter. Place the panko bread crumbs in a small bowl, drizzle with the melted butter, and toss to combine. Add a handful of the grated cheese to the bowl, toss to combine, and set aside.
• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the elbow macaroni until al dente. Drain the noodles, without rinsing, then return them to the pot they were cooked in.
• In a small saucepan over moderate heat, warm the milk just until it starts to steam and form tiny bubbles around its edges-be careful not to let the milk come to a boil. Remove from the heat.
• In a medium saucepan over moderate heat, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Add the flour and use a flat-edged wooden spoon or heat-safe rubber spatula to stir the mixture together, scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent burning, just until it starts to turn a light brown color, about 3 minutes. Slowly add the warm milk and stir constantly until the sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the dry mustard, salt, and pepper. Add the remaining grated cheese and stir until it's completely melted. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Pour the cheese sauce over the cooked elbow macaroni and gently stir to coat the noodles in the sauce.
• Pour the macaroni and cheese into the prepared baking dish and top with the panko-cheese mixture. Bake until light golden brown and bubbling, about 30 minutes. Serve hot. DO AHEAD: Macaroni and cheese can be made ahead, put into the baking dish, cooled completely, and kept, covered in the refrigerator, for 2 days. Do not add the bread crumbs until ready to bake. (Chilled Macaroni and Cheese may take longer than 30 minutes to be fully cooked.)

TWO-CHEESE MAC 'N CHEESE

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook pasta according to package directions. , Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic if desired; cook and stir for 1 minute. Stir in flour, pepper and salt until blended; cook and stir until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk, stirring until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes longer or until thickened. , Remove from heat. Stir in 4 cups cheddar cheese and Asiago cheese until melted. Mixture will thicken. , Preheat oven to 350°. Drain pasta; stir in cheese sauce. Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese., Bake, uncovered, 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees and set a 1 1/2 quart heatproof dish, such as a souffle pan in the oven to warm. Mix bread crumb ingredients together in a small baking pan set aside.
• Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a large soup kettle. Add 1 1/2 tsp. salt and macaroni; cook until almost tender, but still a little firm to the bite. Drain and transfer to a preheated dish and stir in butter to melt. Meanwhile, mix eggs, 1 cup evaporated milk, pepper sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt (less if you are using American cheese) 1/4 teaspoon pepper and mustard mixture in a small bowl.
• Pour egg mixture over noodles along with three-fourths of cheese; stir until thoroughly combined and cheese starts to melt. Place breadcrumbs in an oven to toast until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Place the pan of macaroni and cheese in the oven too and bake for 5 minutes. Remove pan from oven; thoroughly stir macaroni mixture adding a little remaining milk and cheese. Return to oven and cook 5 minutes longer.
• Remove macaroni pan from oven and stir thoroughly so that macaroni and cheese cook evenly adding additional cheese and milk if mixture does not look moist and creamy. Return to the oven for a total of 20 minutes, removing the pan from oven once more to stir in remaining milk and cheese. Serve immediately, sprinkled with breadcrumbs. Please note: I personally forgo the breadcrumbs. Once again I can't even tell you how good this stuff is!

LONGHORN STEAKHOUSE MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Prepare pasta according to the package directions. Heat together in a large saucepan 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of flour over medium heat. Cook until the roux becomes fragrant.
• Add 1/2 cup of half and half and stir until sauce thickens. Add 1/2 cup of half and half when the sauce thickens, and then add final 1 cup of half and half and stir until the sauce becomes thick. Add cheeses to sauce slowly stirring until the cheese is blended. Sprinkle in smoked paprika.
• Mix pasta and sauce, and pour into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Top macaroni and cheese with crumbled bacon and panko breadcrumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until panko breadcrumbs begins to brown.

STEPHANIE'S MAC N CHEESE

Steps:

• Melt butter in large saucepan, add flour and simmer 2-3 minutes on medium heat. Add cream and whisk until dissolved. Continue cooking on low-medium until thick & bubbly. Add all the cheeses, and S&P - cook until cheese is melted. Add to the pasta and place in buttered baking dish. Mix together the panko & melted butter, sprinkle on top, and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Top with parsley.(optional) For a variation, add cooked lobster meat, truffle oil, bacon or fresh veggies. Wonderful winter comfort food.