Homemade Mac and Cheese Recipes

I grew up on homemade macaroni and cheese, but then Kraft came along and I forgot... Who knew there were so many ways to make it yourself!!

Recipe One is simple, easily modified, and inspired by a recipe Jeremiah learned while living abroad in Italy, where pasta is king. Here's what you do:

Cook some pasta - preferably something not too big (like spaghetti) or too small (like elbow macaroni). He prefers fusilli (spirals), medium-sized shells, or rigatoni in a pinch. Drain the pasta. Turn off the burner.

Add a little butter, a little milk, and a couple ounces of cream cheese. Stir over the still-warm burner. Add some grated cheddar cheese (grate it yourself to avoid the icky starch they use to keep that pre-grated stuff from sticking together), and a bit of an alternate hard cheese (Emmenthal, Jarlsburg, Havarti, etc.) if you have something on hand. Don't use much, but this can really enrich the flavor.

Add a bit of grated Parmesan and stir to melt all the cheese into a liquid. Add more milk and butter if you need to. Serve hot, reheating if necessary, and enjoy!


Recipe Two is easy-as-boxed homemade mac and cheese that both kids and adults will like:

Cook macaroni (if you can get a hold of the whole wheat kind, so much the better). When done, drain, return to the pot, and add a generous pat of butter. Once the butter melts, sprinkle in a tablespoon or so of flour. Use your fingers to sprinkle in the flour so it doesn't clump in one spot. Stir well. Add a splash of milk, and then some shredded cheese (cheddar, or a mix of cheddar and jack). Stir till everything's nicely melted. Add a little more milk if you like things
saucy.


Recipe Three is baked macaroni and cheese that gets a little kick from dry mustard:

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 1/2 cups milk
2 cups shredded cheese
8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked and drained

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the salt, flour and dry mustard, then add the milk. Cook until the mixture is thick, stirring often. Add 1 ½ cups of the cheese. Combine this mixture in a 2 quart casserole with the cooked elbow macaroni. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and bake at 325º for 25 minutes.

Recipe Four is a stove top mac-n-cheese from Alton Brown:
1/2 pound elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
6 ounces evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
10 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta to al dente (there should be a slight resistance in the center when the pasta is chewed), and drain. Return to the pot and melt in the butter. Toss to coat. Whisk together the eggs, milk, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and mustard. Stir into the pasta and add the cheese. Over low heat continue to stir for 3 minutes or until creamy.

Recipe Five is a next-day mac and cheese toast, also from Alton Brown:

Left-over baked macaroni and cheese, refrigerated at least overnight
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 egg beaten with 2 ounces water
1 cup Japaneese panko breadcrumbs
Oil for deep frying, preheated to 375º

Cut refrigerated macaroni and cheese into slices or bite-size pieces. Season with flour with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Dredge each piece through the flour and gently tap off excess. Dip in the egg wash and then coat with the breadcrumbs. Allow them to rest for 5 minutes so the crust can set. Very carefully drop into the oil and fry until golden brown. Remove to a baking sheet fitted with a rack and rest for 2 minutes before serving.