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This is my recipe for baked macaroni and cheese. if you love macaroni and cheese, you will love this recipe and it is very easy to make. There are many variants that can be done with this recipe, likecheesesteak mac and cheese, which is theexample in the pictures, add diced ham, stewed tomatoes, vegetables, or keep it plain and simple for a great side dish.
recipe as follows.
1 box of elbow macaroni orcellentani macaroni(which is a longer spiral noodle)
1 16 oz package of white sharp cheddar cheese, (can use regular cheddar cheese as well)
1 quart of 2% or whole milk.
1 cup flour
1 stick unsalted butter
2 egg yolks
1tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
italian seasoned breadcrumbs
salt and pepper to taste.
boil the box of macaroni in a large pot, always salted and with enough water to cover the pasta completely, usually an 8qt pot. do not add oil, oil clings to the pasta and the sauce will not cling to the pasta. boil for 8-10 minutes until al dente, do not overcook. drain well and put into large casserole dish.
in a seperate sauce pot, melt over low heat the stick of butter. once melted, add 1 cup of flour and wisk together. (this is known as making a roux, equal parts fat and flour.)
add milk , keep on medium heat wisking constantly for 1 minute, and then continue wisking every 30 seconds or so. you are making what is known as a bechamel sauce, which is a classic french cream sauce(or mother sauce as they are called).
once milk is starting to thicken, which should be about 3-5 minutes, turn off heat. you do not want it to be too thick........it should be like a thin custard consitency.......
add garlic powder , cayenne pepper and salt and pepper to taste.
take two egg yolks and beat them in a little bowl. you need to temper the egg yolks before adding them to the cream sauce. take a tablespoon and add 4 tablesoons of the cream sauce to the egg yolks, one at a time, beating with a fork in between. tempering is the process of bringing the eggs up to temperature of the cream sauce, so the eggs dont scramble when adding to the hot sauce. . once tempered wisk into the cream sauce and add a half of the bag of the cheese and wisk through until blended.
now pour the sauce over the macaroni and mix well. add the remaining cheese to cover the top of the macaroni and sprinkle about a handful of breadcrumbs on top.
bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 425 degrees, or until the cheese is bubbly and is starting to brown.
for the variation in the pictures below, cheeseteak mac and cheese, follow all steps above, but before adding the breadcrumbs, add, sauteed onions and cooked sliced chunked sirloin steak..(you can buy sliced sirloin steak for cheesteaks in the meat section of the grocery store) do not use frozen cheesteaks..........
i used only onions and chunked steak for the pics below, but you can add sauteed peppers and mushrooms if you wanted to as well. .
let sit for about 10 minutes out of oven and serve.
and as always, have some fun, and create your own versions of this mac and cheese if you want. with food, the possibilities are endless.
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NOTE, IN THIS ONE I MADE TONITE I DID NOT USE BREADCRUMBS.......BECAUSE I FORGOT TO BUY THEM.........LOL.
This is my recipe for baked macaroni and cheese. if you love macaroni and cheese, you will love this recipe and it is very easy to make. There are many variants that can be done with this recipe, likecheesesteak mac and cheese, which is theexample in the pictures, add diced ham, stewed tomatoes, vegetables, or keep it plain and simple for a great side dish.
recipe as follows.
1 box of elbow macaroni orcellentani macaroni(which is a longer spiral noodle)
1 16 oz package of white sharp cheddar cheese, (can use regular cheddar cheese as well)
1 quart of 2% or whole milk.
1 cup flour
1 stick unsalted butter
2 egg yolks
1tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
italian seasoned breadcrumbs
salt and pepper to taste.
boil the box of macaroni in a large pot, always salted and with enough water to cover the pasta completely, usually an 8qt pot. do not add oil, oil clings to the pasta and the sauce will not cling to the pasta. boil for 8-10 minutes until al dente, do not overcook. drain well and put into large casserole dish.
in a seperate sauce pot, melt over low heat the stick of butter. once melted, add 1 cup of flour and wisk together. (this is known as making a roux, equal parts fat and flour.)
add milk , keep on medium heat wisking constantly for 1 minute, and then continue wisking every 30 seconds or so. you are making what is known as a bechamel sauce, which is a classic french cream sauce(or mother sauce as they are called).
once milk is starting to thicken, which should be about 3-5 minutes, turn off heat. you do not want it to be too thick........it should be like a thin custard consitency.......
add garlic powder , cayenne pepper and salt and pepper to taste.
take two egg yolks and beat them in a little bowl. you need to temper the egg yolks before adding them to the cream sauce. take a tablespoon and add 4 tablesoons of the cream sauce to the egg yolks, one at a time, beating with a fork in between. tempering is the process of bringing the eggs up to temperature of the cream sauce, so the eggs dont scramble when adding to the hot sauce. . once tempered wisk into the cream sauce and add a half of the bag of the cheese and wisk through until blended.
now pour the sauce over the macaroni and mix well. add the remaining cheese to cover the top of the macaroni and sprinkle about a handful of breadcrumbs on top.
bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 425 degrees, or until the cheese is bubbly and is starting to brown.
for the variation in the pictures below, cheeseteak mac and cheese, follow all steps above, but before adding the breadcrumbs, add, sauteed onions and cooked sliced chunked sirloin steak..(you can buy sliced sirloin steak for cheesteaks in the meat section of the grocery store) do not use frozen cheesteaks..........
i used only onions and chunked steak for the pics below, but you can add sauteed peppers and mushrooms if you wanted to as well. .
let sit for about 10 minutes out of oven and serve.
and as always, have some fun, and create your own versions of this mac and cheese if you want. with food, the possibilities are endless.
NOTE, IN THIS ONE I MADE TONITE I DID NOT USE BREADCRUMBS.......BECAUSE I FORGOT TO BUY THEM.........LOL.
