Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and Cheese sems to be one of those iconic comfort foods that many of us crave froom time to time. To that end, here are six mac and cheese recipes to help you through the day, incluuding my Grandma’s Mac And Cheese and Benecol Macaroni and Cheese. Enjoy!

SUPER DECADENT MAC AND CHEESE

This yumminess is from Kardea Brown on the Food Network.

Active Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour; Yield: 8 to 10 Servings; Level: Easy

To view this yumminess online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/super-decadent-mac-and-cheese-9831363.

Ingredients

1/4 cup unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the dish

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound elbow macaroni

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup heavy cream, plus more if needed

4 ounces cream cheese

One 16-ounce block sharp Cheddar, shredded

1-1/2 cups extra-sharp Cheddar, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

2 large eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9- by 13-inch baking dish with butter.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the macaroni and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 7 minutes. Strain in a colander, run cold water over the pasta and set aside.

Using the same pot the macaroni was cooked in, melt the 1/4 cup butter over medium heat, add the flour and whisk until smooth. While whisking constantly, slowly add the milk and then the cream. Bring to a simmer, add the cream cheese and the shredded Cheddar except for 1/2 cup and stir until melted. Stir in the granulated garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Remove the cheese sauce from the heat and stir in the macaroni. Season with salt and pepper.

Whisk together the eggs and sour cream in a small bowl and then fold into the macaroni and cheese. Spread the mixture into the prepared baking dish, fold in the cubed Cheddar and top with the reserved 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar. Bake until the top just begins to brown, about 20 minutes. Loosely cover with foil and bake 10 to 15 minutes more.

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 - though elbow macaroni can be used if that's what's on hand (or your preference).

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

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!!!

CREAMY BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE

This is from Eric Kim in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Eric wrote, "This macaroni and cheese recipe, inspired by Stouffer’s, delivers the best of all worlds: creamy, saucy comfort, with a consistency that’s slightly more set than a stovetop version, thanks to a final bake in the oven. It stays voluptuous and molten as a result of a higher ratio of sauce to noodles, which are cooked completely so they don’t soak up as much liquid. The Velveeta is necessary here, as it has sodium citrate, which prevents the sauce from separating in the oven. Elbow macaroni works fine, but cavatappi is an especially fun shape to eat with its telephone-cord bounciness."

Total Time: 1 hour; Yield: 6 to 8 servings

This was featured in "The Platonic Ideal of Macaroni and Cheese", and can be viewed online at https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/04/dining/baked-macaroni-cheese-recipe-homemade.html.

Another link to check out is for Alison Roman's guide, "How to Make Mac and Cheese." While you're at it, you might want to sign up Eric Kim in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Great recipes, helpful guides, etc. I highly recommend it.

Ingredients

Salt

1 pound cavatappi or elbow macaroni

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

6 cups whole milk

1 pound sharp or extra-sharp yellow Cheddar, coarsely grated (5-1/4 cups)

8 ounces Velveeta, torn into pieces

4 ounces Pecorino Romano, coarsely grated (1 cup)

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

Pinch of ground cayenne

Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season generously with salt. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until just past al dente. Drain and set aside.

Return the empty pot to the stove (no need to clean it) and set over medium heat. Melt the butter and simmer, whisking occasionally, until the butter stops spurting and quiets down, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the flour and cook, whisking, until smooth like gravy, about 1 minute.

Step 4

Whisk in the milk. Raise the heat to high and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly, then immediately reduce the heat to low and continue simmering until the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon, 2 to 5 minutes. At this stage, the sauce should be smooth but relatively loose. Take the pot off the heat.

To the pot, add the Cheddar, Velveeta, Pecorino Romano, mustard powder, onion powder and cayenne, and season generously with salt and black pepper. Whisk until the cheese is melted and smooth like nacho cheese. Add the drained pasta, breaking up any clumps, and stir until evenly coated in the cheese sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking pan or dish and bake until bubbling at the edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

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.

Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and Cheese sems to be one of those iconic comfort foods that many of us crave froom time to time. To that end, here are six mac and cheese recipes to help you through the day, incluuding my Grandma’s Mac And Cheese and Benecol Macaroni and Cheese. Enjoy!

SUPER DECADENT MAC AND CHEESE

This yumminess is from Kardea Brown on the Food Network.

Active Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour; Yield: 8 to 10 Servings; Level: Easy

To view this yumminess online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/super-decadent-mac-and-cheese-9831363.

Ingredients

1/4 cup unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the dish

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound elbow macaroni

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup heavy cream, plus more if needed

4 ounces cream cheese

One 16-ounce block sharp Cheddar, shredded

1-1/2 cups extra-sharp Cheddar, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

2 large eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9- by 13-inch baking dish with butter.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the macaroni and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 7 minutes. Strain in a colander, run cold water over the pasta and set aside.

Using the same pot the macaroni was cooked in, melt the 1/4 cup butter over medium heat, add the flour and whisk until smooth. While whisking constantly, slowly add the milk and then the cream. Bring to a simmer, add the cream cheese and the shredded Cheddar except for 1/2 cup and stir until melted. Stir in the granulated garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Remove the cheese sauce from the heat and stir in the macaroni. Season with salt and pepper.

Whisk together the eggs and sour cream in a small bowl and then fold into the macaroni and cheese. Spread the mixture into the prepared baking dish, fold in the cubed Cheddar and top with the reserved 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar. Bake until the top just begins to brown, about 20 minutes. Loosely cover with foil and bake 10 to 15 minutes more.

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 - though elbow macaroni can be used if that's what's on hand (or your preference).

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

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!!!

CREAMY BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE

This is from Eric Kim in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Eric wrote, "This macaroni and cheese recipe, inspired by Stouffer’s, delivers the best of all worlds: creamy, saucy comfort, with a consistency that’s slightly more set than a stovetop version, thanks to a final bake in the oven. It stays voluptuous and molten as a result of a higher ratio of sauce to noodles, which are cooked completely so they don’t soak up as much liquid. The Velveeta is necessary here, as it has sodium citrate, which prevents the sauce from separating in the oven. Elbow macaroni works fine, but cavatappi is an especially fun shape to eat with its telephone-cord bounciness."

Total Time: 1 hour; Yield: 6 to 8 servings

This was featured in "The Platonic Ideal of Macaroni and Cheese", and can be viewed online at https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/04/dining/baked-macaroni-cheese-recipe-homemade.html.

Another link to check out is for Alison Roman's guide, "How to Make Mac and Cheese." While you're at it, you might want to sign up Eric Kim in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Great recipes, helpful guides, etc. I highly recommend it.

Ingredients

Salt

1 pound cavatappi or elbow macaroni

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

6 cups whole milk

1 pound sharp or extra-sharp yellow Cheddar, coarsely grated (5-1/4 cups)

8 ounces Velveeta, torn into pieces

4 ounces Pecorino Romano, coarsely grated (1 cup)

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

Pinch of ground cayenne

Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season generously with salt. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until just past al dente. Drain and set aside.

Return the empty pot to the stove (no need to clean it) and set over medium heat. Melt the butter and simmer, whisking occasionally, until the butter stops spurting and quiets down, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the flour and cook, whisking, until smooth like gravy, about 1 minute.

Step 4

Whisk in the milk. Raise the heat to high and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly, then immediately reduce the heat to low and continue simmering until the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon, 2 to 5 minutes. At this stage, the sauce should be smooth but relatively loose. Take the pot off the heat.

To the pot, add the Cheddar, Velveeta, Pecorino Romano, mustard powder, onion powder and cayenne, and season generously with salt and black pepper. Whisk until the cheese is melted and smooth like nacho cheese. Add the drained pasta, breaking up any clumps, and stir until evenly coated in the cheese sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking pan or dish and bake until bubbling at the edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

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.

Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and Cheese is one of those iconic comfort foods that many of us look to for any number of reasons.

To that end, here are six yummy vegetarian macaroni and cheese recipes to help you through the day, including Old School Mac n' Cheese and Grandma’s Mac And Cheese. Enjoy!

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 - though elbow macaroni can be used if that's what's on hand (or your preference).

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

MACARONI AND CHEESE

This is from Tyler Florence on the Food Network.

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 55 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes; Level: Intermediate; Yield: 6 to 8 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

4 cups (1 pound) elbow macaroni

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 cups milk

1/2 medium onion, stuck with 1 clove

4 cloves garlic

1 bay leaf

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 teaspoon dry mustard

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups grated Cheddar, plus 1 cup in big chunks

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Cook the macaroni in a large pot of boiling salted water until done, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and toss it with 2 tablespoons butter; set aside.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Coat a large baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter and set it aside. Put the milk into a saucepan and add the clove studded onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, and mustard. Warm over medium low heat until the milk starts to steam, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the flavors infuse while you make the roux. In a large pot over medium heat add 2 tablespoons butter and the flour. Cook, stirring, for about 2 to 3 minutes; don't let the roux color. Strain the infused milk onto the roux, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes until the sauce is thick. Remove from the heat and add 1/2 the grated Cheddar and 1/2 the Parmesan; stir until it is melted and smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Pour this over the macaroni, add the chunks of Cheddar, and mix until well blended; put this into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses evenly over the top. Bake until the top is golden and crusty, about 25 to 30 minutes.

OLD SCHOOL MAC N' CHEESE

This is from Collette Duck at Allrecipes, and begins, "This is a completely unpretentious, down-home macaroni and cheese recipe just like my grandma and mom always made. A simple white sauce where you add cheese and a few other flavors with macaroni and a potato chip crust. This recipe makes a lot, I like to make two pans so I can take one to a pot luck and have the other one to keep in the fridge for later. It's an easy recipe to adjust down if you only want to make one pan. If you aren't cooking it right away, just keep the topping separate until you are ready to put it in the oven."

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; Servings: 20

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/223400/old-school-mac-n-cheese/.

Ingredients

1-3/4 pounds whole-wheat macaroni

3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

6 cups milk, divided

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

3 (8 ounce) packages shredded American cheese

1 (8 ounce) bag potato chips (such as Lay's®), crushed

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

butter-flavored cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes; drain.

Melt butter in a large pot over medium-low heat. Slowly add flour to butter, whisking constantly; cook until brown and the mixture no longer smells of flour, about 5 minutes. Pour 1 cup milk into the flour mixture, whisking continually until fully incorporated, about 45 seconds; repeat twice. Add remaining 3 cups milk to the mixture, whisking to incorporate. Stir Worcestershire sauce, mustard powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper into the mixture; season with salt and black pepper.

Reduce heat to low. Cook sauce, whisking frequently, until it begins to thicken, about 10 minutes. Add about half the package of shredded Cheddar cheese; stir continually until the cheese melts completely. Repeat with remaining half package of Cheddar cheese and the American cheese, about 4 ounces at a time. Once cheese is entirely incorporated, remove sauce from heat.

Stir drained macaroni into the cheese sauce to coat. Divide macaroni between two 9x13-inch baking dishes.

Mix crushed potato chips, 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, and Parmesan cheese in a bowl. Top the macaroni with the potato chip mixture evenly. Spray the potato chip mixture with cooking spray.

Bake in preheated oven until the crust is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling, 35 to 45 minutes.

BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE

This was submitted by Meredith at allrecipes. It starts off, "This easy mac and cheese is baked in the oven for a quick meal. A friend of mine sent me this recipe when I got my first apartment because she knew I hated cooking! It's easy to make and tastes great!"

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Servings: 6; Yield: 1 (2-quart) casserole

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/14140/baked-macaroni-and-cheese.

Ingredients

1 (12 ounce) package macaroni

2 cups milk

1 large egg

2-1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons butter, melted

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish.

Boil macaroni in a large pot of salted water until barely done, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Whisk milk and egg together in a large bowl; stir in cheese and butter.

Place par-boiled macaroni in the prepared baking dish. Pour milk mixture over macaroni, season with salt and pepper, and stir until combined. Press mixture evenly into the baking dish.

Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven until top is browned, 30 to 40 minutes.

Serve hot and enjoy!

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!!!

Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and Cheese is one of those iconic comfort foods that many of us look to for any number of reasons.

To that end, here are six yummy vegetarian macaroni and cheese recipes to help you through the day, including Old School Mac n' Cheese and Grandma’s Mac And Cheese. Enjoy!

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 - though elbow macaroni can be used if that's what's on hand (or your preference).

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

MACARONI AND CHEESE

This is from Tyler Florence on the Food Network.

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 55 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes; Level: Intermediate; Yield: 6 to 8 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

4 cups (1 pound) elbow macaroni

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 cups milk

1/2 medium onion, stuck with 1 clove

4 cloves garlic

1 bay leaf

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 teaspoon dry mustard

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups grated Cheddar, plus 1 cup in big chunks

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Cook the macaroni in a large pot of boiling salted water until done, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and toss it with 2 tablespoons butter; set aside.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Coat a large baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter and set it aside. Put the milk into a saucepan and add the clove studded onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, and mustard. Warm over medium low heat until the milk starts to steam, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the flavors infuse while you make the roux. In a large pot over medium heat add 2 tablespoons butter and the flour. Cook, stirring, for about 2 to 3 minutes; don't let the roux color. Strain the infused milk onto the roux, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes until the sauce is thick. Remove from the heat and add 1/2 the grated Cheddar and 1/2 the Parmesan; stir until it is melted and smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Pour this over the macaroni, add the chunks of Cheddar, and mix until well blended; put this into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses evenly over the top. Bake until the top is golden and crusty, about 25 to 30 minutes.

OLD SCHOOL MAC N' CHEESE

This is from Collette Duck at Allrecipes, and begins, "This is a completely unpretentious, down-home macaroni and cheese recipe just like my grandma and mom always made. A simple white sauce where you add cheese and a few other flavors with macaroni and a potato chip crust. This recipe makes a lot, I like to make two pans so I can take one to a pot luck and have the other one to keep in the fridge for later. It's an easy recipe to adjust down if you only want to make one pan. If you aren't cooking it right away, just keep the topping separate until you are ready to put it in the oven."

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; Servings: 20

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/223400/old-school-mac-n-cheese/.

Ingredients

1-3/4 pounds whole-wheat macaroni

3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

6 cups milk, divided

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

3 (8 ounce) packages shredded American cheese

1 (8 ounce) bag potato chips (such as Lay's®), crushed

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

butter-flavored cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes; drain.

Melt butter in a large pot over medium-low heat. Slowly add flour to butter, whisking constantly; cook until brown and the mixture no longer smells of flour, about 5 minutes. Pour 1 cup milk into the flour mixture, whisking continually until fully incorporated, about 45 seconds; repeat twice. Add remaining 3 cups milk to the mixture, whisking to incorporate. Stir Worcestershire sauce, mustard powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper into the mixture; season with salt and black pepper.

Reduce heat to low. Cook sauce, whisking frequently, until it begins to thicken, about 10 minutes. Add about half the package of shredded Cheddar cheese; stir continually until the cheese melts completely. Repeat with remaining half package of Cheddar cheese and the American cheese, about 4 ounces at a time. Once cheese is entirely incorporated, remove sauce from heat.

Stir drained macaroni into the cheese sauce to coat. Divide macaroni between two 9x13-inch baking dishes.

Mix crushed potato chips, 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, and Parmesan cheese in a bowl. Top the macaroni with the potato chip mixture evenly. Spray the potato chip mixture with cooking spray.

Bake in preheated oven until the crust is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling, 35 to 45 minutes.

BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE

This was submitted by Meredith at allrecipes. It starts off, "This easy mac and cheese is baked in the oven for a quick meal. A friend of mine sent me this recipe when I got my first apartment because she knew I hated cooking! It's easy to make and tastes great!"

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Servings: 6; Yield: 1 (2-quart) casserole

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/14140/baked-macaroni-and-cheese.

Ingredients

1 (12 ounce) package macaroni

2 cups milk

1 large egg

2-1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons butter, melted

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish.

Boil macaroni in a large pot of salted water until barely done, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Whisk milk and egg together in a large bowl; stir in cheese and butter.

Place par-boiled macaroni in the prepared baking dish. Pour milk mixture over macaroni, season with salt and pepper, and stir until combined. Press mixture evenly into the baking dish.

Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven until top is browned, 30 to 40 minutes.

Serve hot and enjoy!

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!!!

Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and Cheese is one of those iconic comfort foods that many of us look to for any number of reasons.

To that end, here are six yummy vegetarian macaroni and cheese recipes to help you through the day, including Old School Mac n' Cheese and Grandma’s Mac And Cheese. Enjoy!

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 - though elbow macaroni can be used if that's what's on hand (or your preference).

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

MACARONI AND CHEESE

This is from Tyler Florence on the Food Network.

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 55 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes; Level: Intermediate; Yield: 6 to 8 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

4 cups (1 pound) elbow macaroni

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 cups milk

1/2 medium onion, stuck with 1 clove

4 cloves garlic

1 bay leaf

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 teaspoon dry mustard

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups grated Cheddar, plus 1 cup in big chunks

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Cook the macaroni in a large pot of boiling salted water until done, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and toss it with 2 tablespoons butter; set aside.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Coat a large baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter and set it aside. Put the milk into a saucepan and add the clove studded onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, and mustard. Warm over medium low heat until the milk starts to steam, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the flavors infuse while you make the roux. In a large pot over medium heat add 2 tablespoons butter and the flour. Cook, stirring, for about 2 to 3 minutes; don't let the roux color. Strain the infused milk onto the roux, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes until the sauce is thick. Remove from the heat and add 1/2 the grated Cheddar and 1/2 the Parmesan; stir until it is melted and smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Pour this over the macaroni, add the chunks of Cheddar, and mix until well blended; put this into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses evenly over the top. Bake until the top is golden and crusty, about 25 to 30 minutes.

OLD SCHOOL MAC N' CHEESE

This is from Collette Duck at Allrecipes, and begins, "This is a completely unpretentious, down-home macaroni and cheese recipe just like my grandma and mom always made. A simple white sauce where you add cheese and a few other flavors with macaroni and a potato chip crust. This recipe makes a lot, I like to make two pans so I can take one to a pot luck and have the other one to keep in the fridge for later. It's an easy recipe to adjust down if you only want to make one pan. If you aren't cooking it right away, just keep the topping separate until you are ready to put it in the oven."

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; Servings: 20

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/223400/old-school-mac-n-cheese/.

Ingredients

1-3/4 pounds whole-wheat macaroni

3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

6 cups milk, divided

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

3 (8 ounce) packages shredded American cheese

1 (8 ounce) bag potato chips (such as Lay's®), crushed

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

butter-flavored cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes; drain.

Melt butter in a large pot over medium-low heat. Slowly add flour to butter, whisking constantly; cook until brown and the mixture no longer smells of flour, about 5 minutes. Pour 1 cup milk into the flour mixture, whisking continually until fully incorporated, about 45 seconds; repeat twice. Add remaining 3 cups milk to the mixture, whisking to incorporate. Stir Worcestershire sauce, mustard powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper into the mixture; season with salt and black pepper.

Reduce heat to low. Cook sauce, whisking frequently, until it begins to thicken, about 10 minutes. Add about half the package of shredded Cheddar cheese; stir continually until the cheese melts completely. Repeat with remaining half package of Cheddar cheese and the American cheese, about 4 ounces at a time. Once cheese is entirely incorporated, remove sauce from heat.

Stir drained macaroni into the cheese sauce to coat. Divide macaroni between two 9x13-inch baking dishes.

Mix crushed potato chips, 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, and Parmesan cheese in a bowl. Top the macaroni with the potato chip mixture evenly. Spray the potato chip mixture with cooking spray.

Bake in preheated oven until the crust is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling, 35 to 45 minutes.

BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE

This was submitted by Meredith at allrecipes. It starts off, "This easy mac and cheese is baked in the oven for a quick meal. A friend of mine sent me this recipe when I got my first apartment because she knew I hated cooking! It's easy to make and tastes great!"

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Servings: 6; Yield: 1 (2-quart) casserole

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/14140/baked-macaroni-and-cheese.

Ingredients

1 (12 ounce) package macaroni

2 cups milk

1 large egg

2-1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons butter, melted

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish.

Boil macaroni in a large pot of salted water until barely done, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Whisk milk and egg together in a large bowl; stir in cheese and butter.

Place par-boiled macaroni in the prepared baking dish. Pour milk mixture over macaroni, season with salt and pepper, and stir until combined. Press mixture evenly into the baking dish.

Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven until top is browned, 30 to 40 minutes.

Serve hot and enjoy!

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!!!

Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and Cheese is one of those iconic comfort foods that many of us look to for any number of reasons.

To that end, here are six yummy vegetarian macaroni and cheese recipes to help you through the day, including Southern Macaroni and Cheese and Cauliflower Mac and Cheese. Enjoy!

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 - though elbow macaroni can be used if that's what's on hand (or your preference).

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

SOUTHERN MACARONI AND CHEESE

Who doesn't love comfort food? This yumminess is from Millie Peartree, and is adapted by Kiera Wright-Ruiz in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Kiera wrote, "There is macaroni and cheese, and then there is special occasion macaroni and cheese like this one. Unlike most recipes, which start with a roux, this one begins with a milk-and-egg base, which gives the dish an incredibly rich, silky taste. It’s adapted from Millie Peartree, the owner of Millie Peartree Fish Fry & Soul Food restaurant in the Bronx, who has been making this dish since she was a little girl. The recipe was passed down in her family for generations, but because of the generous amount of cheese used, the dish was only made for events like Christmas and Thanksgiving. Extra-sharp Cheddar adds tartness and a layer of Colby Jack creates a gooey, molten center. If you can’t find a Colby Jack blend, shredded mozzarella or a Mexican-style blend will work in its place."

Total Time: 45 minutes, plus cooling; Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020515-southern-macaroni-and-cheese. Also, check out Alison Roman's guide, "How to Make Mac and Cheese." While you're at it, if you haven't already subscribed to The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend it. Loads of wonderful recipes, guides, and more.

Ingredients

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 pound elbow macaroni

2 cups whole milk

2 large eggs

4 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar (about 16 ounces)

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted

2 cups shredded Colby Jack (about 8 ounces)

Preparation

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook according to package directions until a little under al dente, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a colander and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk milk and eggs. Add cooked macaroni, 2 cups extra-sharp Cheddar, melted butter, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and stir until well combined.

Add half the macaroni mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish in an even layer. Sprinkle 1-1/2 cups Colby Jack evenly on top. Spread the remaining macaroni mixture on top in an even layer. Cover with aluminum foil, transfer to the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven. Carefully remove and discard the aluminum foil. Top the macaroni mixture with the remaining 2 cups Cheddar and 1/2 cup Colby Jack. Broil on top rack until cheese is browned in spots, 3 to 5 minutes. (The broiled cheese can go from golden to burnt fairly quickly, so keep a close eye on it.)

Remove from oven and let cool until the macaroni and cheese is fully set, 10 to 15 minutes. (The mixture may first appear jiggly, but it will firm up as it cools.) Serve warm.

CAULIFLOWER MAC AND CHEESE

This is from Sheela Prakash on TheKitchn. Sheela wrote, “What if I told you that you could have a rich and creamy bowl of mac and cheese while also packing in over a pound of cauliflower? Sounds like a trick, right? No so fast! This recipe does just that, thanks to a base of cheesy cauliflower sauce.”

Serves 8

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

For the cauliflower cheese sauce:

2 cloves garlic, crushed

3 sprigs fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

2 medium heads cauliflower, cut into florets

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 cup grated Gruyère cheese

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the macaroni and cheese:

1 pound dry cavatappi pasta or medium pasta shells

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 cup fresh or panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Arrange a rack in the top third of the oven and heat to 400°F. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.

Make the cauliflower cheese sauce: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, thyme, and bay leaves and boil for 5 minutes to infuse water.

Add the cauliflower and cook until very fork tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cauliflower to a rimmed baking sheet or medium bowl out of the water, leaving the herbs and garlic behind in the pot (do not drain the pot).

Place 1/2 of the cauliflower in a blender or food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Scoop out 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid and add it to the blender along with 1-1/2 tablespoons of oil. Blend until very smooth, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer the purée to a large bowl. Repeat with the remaining cauliflower, 3/4 cup of cooking liquid, and remaining 1-1/2 tablespoons of oil; transfer to the same bowl.

Add the cheddar, Gruyère, mustard, salt, and pepper into the purée and whisk to combine. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed; set aside.

For the macaroni and cheese: Bring the pot of infused water back to a boil. Add the pasta and cook per package instructions until just al dente. Meanwhile, combine the melted butter and breadcrumbs in a small bowl; set aside.

Drain the pasta, discard the herbs and garlic cloves, and add the pasta to the bowl of cauliflower sauce. Stir gently until the pasta is entirely coated.

Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the top, followed by the grated Parmesan.

Transfer the dish to the oven and bake until the sauce is bubbling and the top is golden-brown, 15 to 20 minutes. If the pasta becomes bubbly before the top is golden, you can run the dish under the broiler for a minute or two to crisp the topping.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Make ahead: After transferring the pasta and cauliflower sauce mixture to the baking dish, it can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day. Return to room temperature, sprinkle the buttered breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese on top, and proceed with baking.

Freezing: After transferring the pasta and cauliflower sauce mixture to the baking dish, it can be also be covered tightly with aluminum foil and frozen for up to 2 months. Bake, frozen and covered, at 350°F, for 1 hour. Uncover, sprinkle with the buttered breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese, and bake until the topping is golden-brown, 15 to 20 minutes more.

FRENCH MACARONI AND CHEESE

This is from Rebecca Franklin, who wrote for The Spruce Eats. Rebecca wrote, "This French macaroni and cheese recipe tastes velvety smooth, rich, and just a touch sophisticated - nothing like those little blue boxes of dry, salty mix sold in markets and convenience stores. This dish takes only 40 minutes to prepare, much less than a quarter of which is spent actively cooking. Use this French-style "mac and cheese" as an unexpected side dish on a dinner menu or as the focal point of a winter-themed mountain lodge party."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Yield: 1 bowl macaroni (6 servings)

To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/french-macaroni-and-cheese-recipe-1375553.

Ingredients

16 ounces small macaroni

1 clove garlic (cut in half lengthwise)

2 tablespoons butter (melted)

1 1/4 cups crème fraiche

2 cups Gruyere cheese (shredded)

2 cups Cantal cheese (shredded)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs

Directions

Preheat an oven to 350 F.

Prepare the macaroni according to package instructions and drain it.

While the macaroni is boiling, rub the cut end of the garlic across the entire inner surface of a three-quart baking dish.

Brush the same surface with the melted butter.

Pour the drained macaroni into the prepared baking dish.

Stir the crème fraiche, 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese, salt, and pepper into the pasta.

Sprinkle the breadcrumbs and the remaining cheese over the surface of the macaroni and cheese.

Bake the casserole, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes, until it is hot and bubbly throughout and turns light golden brown on top.

Serve immediately.

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.

Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and Cheese is one of those iconic comfort food, at least here in the U.S. Here are six yummy Mac and Cheese recipes to help you through the day, including Southern Macaroni and Cheese and Homemade Macaroni and Cheese. Enjoy!

MACARONI AND CHEESE

This is from Tyler Florence on the Food Network.

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 55 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes; Level: Intermediate; Yield: 6 to 8 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

4 cups (1 pound) elbow macaroni

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 cups milk

1/2 medium onion, stuck with 1 clove

4 cloves garlic

1 bay leaf

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 teaspoon dry mustard

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups grated Cheddar, plus 1 cup in big chunks

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Cook the macaroni in a large pot of boiling salted water until done, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and toss it with 2 tablespoons butter; set aside.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Coat a large baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter and set it aside. Put the milk into a saucepan and add the clove studded onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, and mustard. Warm over medium low heat until the milk starts to steam, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the flavors infuse while you make the roux. In a large pot over medium heat add 2 tablespoons butter and the flour. Cook, stirring, for about 2 to 3 minutes; don't let the roux color. Strain the infused milk onto the roux, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes until the sauce is thick. Remove from the heat and add 1/2 the grated Cheddar and 1/2 the Parmesan; stir until it is melted and smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Pour this over the macaroni, add the chunks of Cheddar, and mix until well blended; put this into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses evenly over the top. Bake until the top is golden and crusty, about 25 to 30 minutes.

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

OLD SCHOOL MAC N' CHEESE

This is from Collette Duck at Allrecipes, and begins, "This is a completely unpretentious, down-home macaroni and cheese recipe just like my grandma and mom always made. A simple white sauce where you add cheese and a few other flavors with macaroni and a potato chip crust. This recipe makes a lot, I like to make two pans so I can take one to a pot luck and have the other one to keep in the fridge for later. It's an easy recipe to adjust down if you only want to make one pan. If you aren't cooking it right away, just keep the topping separate until you are ready to put it in the oven."

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; Servings: 20

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/223400/old-school-mac-n-cheese/.

Ingredients

1-3/4 pounds whole-wheat macaroni

3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

6 cups milk, divided

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

3 (8 ounce) packages shredded American cheese

1 (8 ounce) bag potato chips (such as Lay's®), crushed

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

butter-flavored cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes; drain.

Melt butter in a large pot over medium-low heat. Slowly add flour to butter, whisking constantly; cook until brown and the mixture no longer smells of flour, about 5 minutes. Pour 1 cup milk into the flour mixture, whisking continually until fully incorporated, about 45 seconds; repeat twice. Add remaining 3 cups milk to the mixture, whisking to incorporate. Stir Worcestershire sauce, mustard powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper into the mixture; season with salt and black pepper.

Reduce heat to low. Cook sauce, whisking frequently, until it begins to thicken, about 10 minutes. Add about half the package of shredded Cheddar cheese; stir continually until the cheese melts completely. Repeat with remaining half package of Cheddar cheese and the American cheese, about 4 ounces at a time. Once cheese is entirely incorporated, remove sauce from heat.

Stir drained macaroni into the cheese sauce to coat. Divide macaroni between two 9x13-inch baking dishes.

Mix crushed potato chips, 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, and Parmesan cheese in a bowl. Top the macaroni with the potato chip mixture evenly. Spray the potato chip mixture with cooking spray.

Bake in preheated oven until the crust is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling, 35 to 45 minutes.

SOUTHERN MACARONI AND CHEESE

This is from Millie Peartree and adapted by Kiera Wright-Ruiz in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipes, Kiera wrote, "There is macaroni and cheese, and then there is special occasion macaroni and cheese like this one. Unlike most recipes, which start with a roux, this one begins with a milk-and-egg base, which gives the dish an incredibly rich, silky taste. It’s adapted from Millie Peartree, the owner of Millie Peartree Fish Fry & Soul Food restaurant in the Bronx, who has been making this dish since she was a little girl. The recipe was passed down in her family for generations, but because of the generous amount of cheese used, the dish was only made for events like Christmas and Thanksgiving. Extra-sharp Cheddar adds tartness and a layer of Colby Jack creates a gooey, molten center. If you can’t find a Colby Jack blend, shredded mozzarella or a Mexican-style blend will work in its place. Discover more ideas for the big day in our best Thanksgiving recipes collection."

Total Time: 45 minutes, plus cooling; Yield:8 to 10 servings

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020515-southern-macaroni-and-cheese. Also, check out Alison Roman's guide, "How to Make Mac and Cheese."

While you're at it, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend it. Great recipes, guides, and more.

Ingredients

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 pound elbow macaroni

2 cups whole milk

2 large eggs

4 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar (about 16 ounces)

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted

2 cups shredded Colby Jack (about 8 ounces)

Preparation

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook according to package directions until a little under al dente, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a colander and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk milk and eggs. Add cooked macaroni, 2 cups extra-sharp Cheddar, melted butter, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and stir until well combined.

Add half the macaroni mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish in an even layer. Sprinkle 1-1/2 cups Colby Jack evenly on top. Spread the remaining macaroni mixture on top in an even layer. Cover with aluminum foil, transfer to the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven. Carefully remove and discard the aluminum foil. Top the macaroni mixture with the remaining 2 cups Cheddar and 1/2 cup Colby Jack. Broil on top rack until cheese is browned in spots, 3 to 5 minutes. (The broiled cheese can go from golden to burnt fairly quickly, so keep a close eye on it.)

Remove from oven and let cool until the macaroni and cheese is fully set, 10 to 15 minutes. (The mixture may first appear jiggly, but it will firm up as it cools.) Serve warm.

>BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE

This came from a Weight Watchers email list maybe a decade or more ago. The points value is from then.

Serves: 8; 5 points

Ingredients

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

Directions

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.

Macaroni and Cheese

Is there any comfort food more iconic than Macaroni and Cheese? Maybe, maybe not. I've known people who could practically live on the stuff. (Flip side, of course, is that I also know people who would rather pass it up any day of the week. That's cool, too.)

Either way, here are six Mac and Cheese recipes to help you through the day, including Sheet Pan Mac and Cheese with Brussels Sprouts and Southern Macaroni and Cheese. Enjoy!

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 - though elbow macaroni can be used if that's what's on hand (or your preference).

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

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!!!

BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE

This came from a Weight Watchers email list maybe a decade or more ago. The points value is from then.

Serves: 8; 5 points

Ingredients

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

Directions

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.

SOUTHERN MACARONI AND CHEESE

This is from Millie Peartree and adapted by Kiera Wright-Ruiz in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipes, Kiera wrote, "There is macaroni and cheese, and then there is special occasion macaroni and cheese like this one. Unlike most recipes, which start with a roux, this one begins with a milk-and-egg base, which gives the dish an incredibly rich, silky taste. It’s adapted from Millie Peartree, the owner of Millie Peartree Fish Fry & Soul Food restaurant in the Bronx, who has been making this dish since she was a little girl. The recipe was passed down in her family for generations, but because of the generous amount of cheese used, the dish was only made for events like Christmas and Thanksgiving. Extra-sharp Cheddar adds tartness and a layer of Colby Jack creates a gooey, molten center. If you can’t find a Colby Jack blend, shredded mozzarella or a Mexican-style blend will work in its place. Discover more ideas for the big day in our best Thanksgiving recipes collection."

Total Time: 45 minutes, plus cooling; Yield:8 to 10 servings

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020515-southern-macaroni-and-cheese. Also, check out Alison Roman's guide, "How to Make Mac and Cheese."

While you're at it, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend it. Great recipes, guides, and more.

Ingredients

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 pound elbow macaroni

2 cups whole milk

2 large eggs

4 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar (about 16 ounces)

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted

2 cups shredded Colby Jack (about 8 ounces)

Preparation

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook according to package directions until a little under al dente, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a colander and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk milk and eggs. Add cooked macaroni, 2 cups extra-sharp Cheddar, melted butter, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and stir until well combined.

Add half the macaroni mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish in an even layer. Sprinkle 1-1/2 cups Colby Jack evenly on top. Spread the remaining macaroni mixture on top in an even layer. Cover with aluminum foil, transfer to the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven. Carefully remove and discard the aluminum foil. Top the macaroni mixture with the remaining 2 cups Cheddar and 1/2 cup Colby Jack. Broil on top rack until cheese is browned in spots, 3 to 5 minutes. (The broiled cheese can go from golden to burnt fairly quickly, so keep a close eye on it.)

Remove from oven and let cool until the macaroni and cheese is fully set, 10 to 15 minutes. (The mixture may first appear jiggly, but it will firm up as it cools.) Serve warm.

SHEET PAN MAC AND CHEESE WITH BRUSSELS SPROUTS

This is from Grace Elkus at TheKitchn. For this recipe, Grace wrote, "Here, I’m sharing my favorite iteration: sheet pan mac and cheese with Brussels sprouts. You’ll cook the noodles and make the cheese sauce while the veggies roast, then mix everything together, return it to the sheet pan, and pop it under the broiler until every bite is crispy-creamy. It’s the ultimate mash-up of two of my favorite foods — and my only regret is I didn’t think of it sooner."

Prep time: 20 minutes; Cook time: 35 minutes to 40 minutes; Serves: 4 to 6

To view this online, go to https://www.thekitchn.com/sheet-pan-mac-cheese-brussels-sprouts-23215360.

Ingredients

1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water

1 pound Brussels sprouts (about 15 large)

2 tablespoons olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

12 ounces dried cavatappi pasta

4 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded (1 cup)

4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, preferably white, shredded (1 cup)

1 ounce Parmesan cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup)

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 cups whole or 2% milk

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

Instructions

Arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat the oven to 425°F. Bring a Dutch oven or large pot of heavily salted water to a boil.

Meanwhile, trim and halve 1 pound Brussels sprouts (quarter if large). Place on a rimmed baking sheet (make sure to include any stray leaves). Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, and season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and several grinds black pepper. Toss to combine, then arrange in a single layer cut-side down.

Place the baking sheet on the lower rack. Roast until the sprouts are crispy, tender, and browned in spots, 14 to 16 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the pasta and grate the cheeses.

Add 12 ounces cavatappi to the boiling water and cook according to package directions until al dente. Grate the following cheeses on the large holes of a box grater, keeping them separate on the cutting board: 4 ounces Gruyère cheese (about 1 cup), 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese (about 1 cup), and 1 ounce Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup).

When the Brussels sprouts are ready, remove the baking sheet from the oven.

When the pasta is ready, drain and set aside. Return the pot to the stovetop, add 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, and melt over medium-low heat. Transfer 1 tablespoon into a small heatproof bowl. Add 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper to the remaining butter in the pot and cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until fragrant and foaming, about 2 minutes.

While whisking constantly, slowly pour in 3 cups whole or 2% milk and whisk until the flour is completely dissolved. Bring just to a full simmer over medium heat, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, whisking frequently, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 4 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat. Add the Gruyère and cheddar cheeses, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and several grinds black pepper. Whisk until smooth and the cheese is melted. Taste and season with more salt as needed (likely about 1/2 teaspoon kosher). Heat the broiler to high.

Add the cavatappi and roasted Brussels sprouts to the pot and stir until well-coated in the sauce. Transfer to the same baking sheet used to roast the Brussels and spread into an even layer.

Add 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese to the reserved bowl of melted butter and stir to combine. Sprinkle the pasta with the bread crumb mixture. Broil until the bread crumbs are golden-brown, 2 to 4 minutes.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.