Test Kitchens Favorite Mac And Cheese Recipes

MOM'S FAVORITE BAKED MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion for 2 minutes. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in milk, salt, mustard and pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until mixture boils and thickens.
• Meanwhile, bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• To the milk mixture add the Cheddar and American cheeses; stir until cheese melts. Combine macaroni and cheese sauce in a 2 quart baking dish; mix well.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

CHUCK'S FAVORITE MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, add pasta, and cook until done; drain.
• In 9x13 inch baking dish, stir together macaroni, shredded Cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. In a small bowl, mix together bread crumbs and melted butter. Sprinkle topping over macaroni mixture.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until top is golden.

TEST KITCHEN'S FAVORITE MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Boil pasta in a medium pot of boiling salted water until al dente, about 2 minutes less than per package instructions. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water.
• Return empty pot to medium heat and add butter. When butter melts and foams, add flour and whisk until darkened slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Add mustard powder and whisk to combine. Slowly whisk in milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low and add cheese in 3 batches, starting with American. Follow with cheddar and Parmesan. Whisk to fully combine after adding each cheese. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add pasta, stir to coat, and serve.

BEST-EVER MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare pasta according to package directions for al dente.
• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium. Add next 6 ingredients; cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add flour, and cook, stirring, until golden, 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk and cream. Bring to a boil, whisking occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, whisking, until slightly thickened, 5 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire sauce. Remove from heat; stir in 3/4 cup each of shredded Cheddar cheeses until melted. (Reserve remaining 1/4 cup each of shredded cheeses.) Stir in pasta and diced cheeses; pour into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch (3-quart) baking dish.
• Bake on a rimmed baking sheet in preheated oven until bubbly and golden, 30 minutes. Remove from oven; increase oven temperature to broil. Sprinkle with reserved shredded cheeses; broil 6 inches from heat until cheeses are melted and golden, about 2 minutes. Remove from oven; cool slightly on a wire rack, about 15 minutes.

CLASSIC MACARONI AND CHEESE (AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN) RECIPE - (3.6/5)

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat broiler. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven over high heat. Add macaroni and 1 tablespoon salt; cook until pasta is tender; drain and set aside in colander. In now empty Dutch oven, heat butter over medium-high heat until foaming. Add flour, mustard, and cayenne and whisk well to combine. Continue whisking until mixture becomes fragrant and deepens in color, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk; bring mixture to boil, whisking constantly (mixture must reach full boil to fully thicken). Reduce heat to medium and simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened to consistency of heavy cream, about 5 minutes. Off heat, whisk in cheeses and 1 teaspoon salt until cheeses are fully melted. Add pasta and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is steaming and heated through, about 6 minutes. Transfer mixture to broiler safe 9 by 13" baking dish and sprinkle evenly with bread crumb mixture. Broil until crumbs are deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes, rotating pan if necessary for even browning. Cool about 5 minutes, then serve.

TEST KITCHEN'S FAVORITE MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Boil pasta in a medium pot of boiling salted water until al dente, about 2 minutes less than per package instructions. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water.
• Return empty pot to medium heat and add butter. When butter melts and foams, add flour and whisk until darkened slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Add mustard powder and whisk to combine. Slowly whisk in milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low and add cheese in 3 batches, starting with American. Follow with cheddar and Parmesan. Whisk to fully combine after adding each cheese. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add pasta, stir to coat, and serve.