Macaroni and Cheese

Is there any comfort food more iconic than Mac & Cheese? I'm not sure...

Today's six Mac & Cheese recipes include Homemade Macaroni and Cheese and Grandma’s Mac and Cheese. Enjoy!

SMOKY MAC & CHEESE

This is originally from I Heart Cheese, by Mihaela Metaxa-Albu, and reprinted on Taste for Life. You can view this online at https://tasteforlife.com/healthy-recipes/main-course/smoky-mac-cheese.

Ingredients

3 tbsp butter, divided

2 tbsp gluten-free all-purpose flour blend

1 tbsp smoked paprika

3/4 tsp ground nutmeg

2-1/2 cups whole milk

2 cups smoked Cheddar, shredded

1/4 cup breadcrumbs (gluten-free if needed)

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1 lb mini penne pasta (gluten-free if needed)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the flour and stir until the mixture turns golden, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the paprika and nutmeg. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a gentle boil and then immediately lower the heat. Simmer for about 4 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens.

Once the sauce has thickened and can coat the back of a spoon, stir in the cheese and whisk until melted and smooth. Set aside.

In a small skillet over medium-high heat, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the breadcrumbs, garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Stir and cook for about 2 minutes, or until golden. Transfer to a plate.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, tender yet firm to the bite, according to the package directions (see Tips below). Drain well. Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and toss well to coat.

Divide among six 1-1/4 cup ramekins or oven dishes. Sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture. Alternatively, you can use a 9 x 13–inch baking dish. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until bubbly and golden.

Notes

Give standard mac and cheese an upgrade! This wonderfully smoky, uber-cheesy mac and cheese makes itself at home with any barbecued meat.

Smoked Cheddar gives lusciously creamy cheese sauce a bold flavor, which is further enhanced by the smoked paprika.

Fold the sauce with bite-size, al dente penne pasta and top with freshly toasted, seasoned breadcrumbs for a delicious crunch.

Tips

Undercook the pasta! If the package says 6 to 8 minutes for al dente, go for 5 to 6 minutes. This way, when baked with the sauce it won’t become overcooked and mushy.

Make sure to use a gluten-free flour blend with tapioca or cornstarch, as this helps thicken your sauce better than regular flour.

HOMEMADE MACARONI AND CHEESE

I had been looking for a really simple but good homemade macaroni and cheese recipe, and this fits the bill. My daughter and granddaughter had come over on my granddaughter's birthday; while they were here, my daughter whipped up this recipe. She'd been making it for quite a while. It was a definite hit with everyone in the house.

Ingredients

1 box (16 ounce) cannelloni pasta (see Note)

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups milk

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper, to taste

Note: Just about any tubular pasta can be used in this recipe, though it seems to work best with something bigger than elbow macaroni. Some of the better substitutes for the cannelloni would be ziti, penne, rigatoni, or elicoidali.

Directions

Turn oven on to 350 degrees.

Cook pasta according to package directions. If the package gives you a bracket – say, 12 – 14 minutes – lean toward the lower time, since you don't want the pasta to be too mushy. Drain, rinse, and set aside.

In a large pot, melt butter on low heat, then add flour, salt, and pepper. Cook on low heat, stirring continuously, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add milk and cook on medium heat for approximately 5 minutes until mixture thickens, stirring continuously.

Remove from heat and add macaroni, stirring it into mixture. Add the shredded cheese, and stir in completely.

Pour mixture into a 13 X 9 inch pan and bake at 350 for 10 – 15 minutes. Remove carefully, as it will be hot. (You knew that, right?) Dig in.

This makes 4 – 5 servings.

Photo: Homemade Macaroni and Cheese, on the left in the blue dish, and Benecol Macaroni and Cheese, on right, in orange casserole dish (from Avon)



BENECOL MACARONI AND CHEESE

For several years, there was a magazine dedicated to walking, titled Walking Magazine. It had many good articles, tips and recipes for those of us who feel a little more comfortable race-walking than running. Unfortunately, the magazine folded several years ago. This recipe was in it during its final year. Serves 4.

Ingredients

1/2 lb. small shell style macaroni

4 Tbs. Benecol

3 Tbs. all purpose flour

3 Tbs. finely chopped onion

1 1/2 C 2% milk, warmed

few drops Tabasco Sauce

1-pint nonfat cottage (or ricotta) cheese

1 tsp. salt

1/2 C flavored bread crumbs

1 Tbs. olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9-by-9 inch pan liberally with nonstick cooking spray. Cook shells according to package directions, strain, and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

To prepare sauce, melt Benecol in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Quickly whisk in flour, add onions, and cook for 1 minute. Slowly pour milk into flour mixture, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Add Tabasco Sauce and cook an additional minute. Whisk in cheese and salt, and blend in shells; transfer mixture to prepared pan.

In small bowl, mix oil and bread crumbs together; spoon over top of macaroni and cheese. Bake for 20 minutes.

Per Serving: 510 calories; 27.2% calories from fat; 3G saturated fat; 65G carbohydrates; 12MG cholesterol; 612MG sodium; 2G fiber

MAC AND CHEESE

This recipe is from Ina Garten and was posted on the Food Network. Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Level: Easy.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Kosher salt

Vegetable oil

1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi

1 quart milk

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

12 ounces Gruyere, grated (4 cups)

8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (2 cups)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3/4 pound fresh tomatoes (4 small)

1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish.

Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

STEALTH HEALTH MAC AND CHEESE

This was in the September/October 2016 issure of Vegetarian Times, page 46. It begins, "Kids will never guess just how loaded with good-for-them vegetables this pasta favorite is. The 'cream sauce' is actually puréed butternut squash, and finely grated carrot and zucchini melt into the casserole as it cooks. Serve with a tossed salad." Makes 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/stealth-health-mac-and-cheese-recipe/.

Ingredients

1 lb. peeled, cubed butternut squash

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided

4 oz. whole-wheat macaroni

1-1/2 tsp. olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery (3 ribs)

1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)

1 large carrot, finely grated (3/4 cup)

1 large zucchini, finely grated (3/4 cup)

1/4 cup jarred roasted red pepper, drained and chopped, optional

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Coat 6- x 6-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add butternut squash, and boil 20 to 25 minutes, or until very tender. Remove to large bowl with slotted spoon. Mash with potato masher, and stir in 1/4  cup cheese. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and set aside.

Cook macaroni in same pot of boiling water 2 minutes fewer than recommended time. Drain, and run under cold water in colander.

Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and garlic, and sauté 3 to 5 minutes, or until translucent. Stir into mashed butternut squash purée. Add carrot, zucchini, roasted red pepper, if using, and pasta, and stir until mixture is coated with squash purée. Spread 1/3 pasta mixture in prepared baking dish, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Repeat layering pasta and cheese twice, ending with a final sprinkling of cheese. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until top is crisp and brown, and casserole is bubbling hot.

GRANDMA'S MAC AND CHEESE

This comes from my e-cookbook, titled Off the Wall Cooking, found on Amazon.com.

Both of my grandmas were characters—I could write a book about either one. This is my dad's mom's version of the ultimate comfort food. She told me she made this for my dad and my uncle when they were kids. Very simple, but very good.

Ingredients

1 lb. elbow macaroni

1 – 2 jars of Cheese Whiz

Directions

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Heat Cheese Whiz, either in microwave or boiling water. (Remove lids from jars first.) Drain macaroni, dump into a large bowl, add heated Cheese Whiz, stir, and PIG OUT!!!