Macaroni and Cheese

It's dreary looking where I live, though it's not supposed to rain until the end of the week. There are certain foods that just seem to go well on dreary days - and homemade Mac and Cheese seems to be one of those foods. That said, here are six mac and cheese recipes to help you through the day. Enjoy!

BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE

This is from an old Weight Watchers' email. Serves: 8; 5 Points (old points value).

12 oz uncooked macaroni, elbow-type

1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

12 oz fat-free evaporated milk

8 oz low-fat cheddar or Colby cheese, shredded

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp table salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

2 Tbsp dried bread crumbs

2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Cook pasta according to package directions without added fat or salt; drain & transfer to a large bowl. While pasta is still hot, stir in sour cream; set aside.

Heat milk in small saucepan over medium heat until tiny bubbles appear just around the edges. Reduce heat to low, add cheese & simmer until cheese melts, stirring constantly with wire whisk, about 2 minutes; remove from heat & stir in mustard, salt, pepper & nutmeg.

Add cheese mixture to pasta; mix well. Transfer to a 4-quart casserole dish. Combine bread crumbs & Parmesan cheese; sprinkle over pasta. Bake until top is golden, about 30 minutes. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

SLOWCOOKER MACARONI AND CHEESE – CROCK POT

From a long-since-forgotten-emailing-list. Time to make 1 1/2 hours; 20 min prep; 4 servings

3/4 finely chopped onion

3/4 finely chopped green bell pepper

3 1/2 cups hot cooked elbow macaroni (about 1 1/2 cups uncooked)

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon fresh ground red pepper

1 1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 ounces processed cheese (Velveeta)

1 (2 ounce) jar diced pimentos, drained

Coat large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; place over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion & bell pepper; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Place onion mixture & macaroni in 3-quart electric slow cooker coated with cooking spray.

Place flour & next 4 ingredients in small bowl; gradually add milk, stirring with whisk until well blended. Add milk mixture, cheeses, & pimiento to slow cooker; stir well. Cover lid; cook on high-heat setting 1-1/2 hours or until thick & creamy, stirring after 1 hour.

CREAMY MACARONI AND CHEESE

This comes from Julia Moskins in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “Here is Julia Moskin's fantasy of what this dish should be: nothing more than tender elbows of pasta suspended in pure molten cheddar, with a chewy, golden-brown crust of cheese on top.” Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Time: 1 hour 40 minutes.

This was featured in “THE WINTER COOK; Macaroni and Lots of Cheese” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup cottage cheese (not lowfat)

2 cups milk (not skim)

1 teaspoon dry mustard

Pinch cayenne

Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pound sharp or extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1/2 pound elbow pasta, uncooked

Preparation

Heat oven to 375 degrees and position an oven rack in upper third of oven. Use 1 tablespoon butter to butter a 9-inch round or square baking pan.

In a blender, purée cottage cheese, milk, mustard, cayenne, nutmeg and salt and pepper together. Reserve 1/4 cup grated cheese for topping. In a large bowl, combine remaining grated cheese, milk mixture and uncooked pasta. Pour into prepared pan, cover tightly with foil and bake 30 minutes.

Uncover pan, stir gently, sprinkle with reserved cheese and dot with remaining tablespoon butter. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes more, until browned. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

SPINACH MACARONI AND CHEESE

There are probably as many variations of mac and cheese as there are American cooks. This one is from Lori Mama on Food.com. On her Food.com page, Lori wrote, “t's all my father's fault I like to cook and I thank him for it. Ever since he taught me how to fry an egg, it's been a happy adventure ever since.” Works for me!

Of this recipe, Lori added, “Made for my husband.” Makes 4 servings; Total Time: 30 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cooking Time: 15 minutes.

To view this yumminess online, click here.

Ingredients

2 cups macaroni pasta, cooked

1 cup chopped cooked spinach

2 cups hot milk

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup butter

2 tablespoons horseradish

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese

salt and pepper, to taste

freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425.

In medium sized pot, over medium heat, melt butter.

Add the flour and cook for 3 minutes.

Pour in the hot milk and cook until thickened.

Add the spinach, cheese, seasonings, horseradish and mustard.

Mix well.

Combine with the cooked pasta.

Place in a greased cassarole dish.

Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until bubbling.

APPLE-CHEDDAR MAC AND CHEESE

This comes from FamilyTime, and begins, “Raise your hand if you like mac and cheese? And when it's teamed with apples, you'll want to raise both hands!” Serves: 4; Prep Time: 25 to 30 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups dry elbow macaroni

1 1/2 cups small diced, unpeeled, tart green or red apples

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 1/4 cups whole milk, lower fat milk can be substituted

1 small bay leaf

2 1/3 cup shredded sharp white or yellow Cheddar cheese

1/2 teaspoon dry sherry (see second note)

Salt to taste

Ground white pepper to taste

1/3 cup panko bread crumbs, regular bread crumbs can be substituted

Directions

Butter a 1 1/2-quart round casserole.

Cook the pasta in a large saucepan according to package directions until al dente. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and drain well. Return the pasta to the saucepan and add the apples.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. Add the onions and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes or until tender. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute or until fragrant. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly until simmering gently. Add the bay leaf, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Remove and discard the bay leaf and then stir 2 cups of the cheese and the sherry into the milk. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring until the cheese melts. Remove the pan from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the cheese sauce to the pasta and apples and stir gently to combine. Transfer the mac and cheese to the casserole and sprinkle with the remaining cheese and the panko. Bake, uncovered, for about 30 minutes or just until heated through and lightly browned. Let stand for about 5 minutes before serving.

Note: You can bake the mac and cheese in individual ramekins. Butter them and bake for about 15 minutes.

Note: If you’re like me and don’t have alcohol around the house, no worries. Omit the Sherry, or add 1/2 teaspoon of milk or water with the cheese.

Per Serving: 600 calories; 33 g fat; 20 g saturated fat; 100 mg cholesterol; 660 mg sodium; 48 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 27g protein

CAULIFLOWER MAC AND CHEESE [VEGAN]

This comes from One Green Planet, and starts off, “Eat your veggies as the ultimate comfort food. Nice and cheesy with a spicy kick, an addictive taste, and the goodness of cauliflower, this mac and cheese is a keeper! Healthy AND tasty.” Serves 3 - 4; cook time: 35 minutes. This recipe is: Dairy Free; High Carb Vegan; Vegan.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 medium cauliflower, cut into florets

1 carrot, chopped

6 garlic cloves

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups macaroni pasta or pasta of your choice

1 cup almond milk

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon white miso

1/3 cup vegan cream cheese

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1/2 cup raw cashews

1/4 teaspoon red cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons dry mint leaf flakes

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons vegan butter

Preparation

Set the oven 400°F.

Place the cauliflower florets and the carrots into an oven dish, add two tablespoons of the olive oil and mix.

Wrap the garlic cloves in aluminum foil together with the remainder of the olive oil.

Oven roast the vegetables and the garlic for about 25-30 minutes.

In the meantime, cook the pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside.

In a high-speed blender, blend the roasted cauliflower and carrot mix, the roasted garlic, and all the other ingredients except the macaroni and the vegan butter. Blend until you get a very smooth mixture.

For a more cheesy taste, let this sauce wait at room temperature for one to two hours. Add the vegan butter and the macaroni pasta in a large pan, stir and cook for about one minute until the butter melts and the macaroni is coated uniformly. Add the cheese sauce, stir and cook for about 5 more minutes.