mac and cheese

Creamy Dreamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese

January 30, 2015

This is a creamy dreamy mac and cheese.

We were heading over to a friends, Mark & Allie, house for lunch one day and the request for Mac & Cheese came through. Mark makes fantastic pulled pork. And smoked pulled pork and mac & cheese are best buddies. BFF’s.

To stand up to Mark’s ah-mazing pulled pork, I had to really bring it. And damn… it was brought!!

I consulted with some foodies at work for the best mac and cheese to make and was pointed to Ina Garten’s mac and cheese recipe. Well, you know, Ina knocks it out of the park so I had to go with it.

Rightfully so too! This made for a ridiculously delicious mac and cheese. Ridiculous.

The key to making this recipe the best it can very be is the cheese sauce.

Get your ducks in a row to have the cheese all grated so you can quickly dump it in once you get the rue and warm milk combined and smooth.

Trader Joe’s has a cheese that is a combination of cheddar and Gruyere so just grabbed enough of that (2 big blocks) and got to work at grating that right up.

This mac and cheese is perfect for the winter as it’s the perfect kind of comfort food, but it’s also great in the spring, summer, or fall. It’s great on it’s own, or with a side salad or with some smoked pulled pork. Or in a house with a mouse. Or in a box with a fox. Wait a minute…

Oh, and the breadcrumbs. Toasty, crunchy, & yummy.

I had to end the week on this ultra decadent, super cheesy recipe as next Monday Price and I are diving into Whole30, an ultra strict 30 day diet reset. And, buddy, this is not complaint to that diet at all. I just had to share this recipe now so I don’t have to look at this drool worthy pictures while we pass out on all dairy and grain for the month.

While we won’t be eating recipes like this from February 2nd- March 3rd, it doesn’t mean you can’t! Share some pics if you do. I’ll probably lick my computer screen. ha!

Creamy Dreamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Makes 8-10 servings

Ingredients

1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi
1 quart milk
8 tablespoons 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 (smaller is better)
1 Cup Panko breadcrumbs

Process

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.

Adapted from Ina Garten

Lobster Mac And Cheese

July 12, 2013

I have been determined to make lobster for this week’s Sprint Cup Snacks recipe for this weekend’s NASCAR race at Loudon International Raceway. in New Hampshire. Must have lobster when in New England. It’s a given! But my challenge was to make something that both Price and I would enjoy since he is pretty indifferent to lobster when I L-O-V-E it.

Often it works out well that Price is ‘meh’ about lobster and I love it (although I do feel super guilty about eating them now that I read the most amazing book called The Secret Life of Lobsters where I learned that our tasty ocean bug friends are at least 7 yrs old before gracing our dining tables…) since he will put them in the pot for me. I just can’t!

We typically do grilled steak and lobster… so I get the surf and he gets the turf… but I wanted to change things up so I had to go a searchin’ for something so mouth-watering that Price could not resist regardless of our royal red friend. Ultimately I found the best recipe… drum roll please… Lobster Mac and Cheese.

This was a very rich, luscious mac and cheese. Plus it was studded with lobster! If you don’t like lobster then skip it since the mac and cheese base is great anyway, but really, it is so worth it to add the lobster.

PS- I learned my local grocery store steams lobsters for you for Free!!! I highly suggest you check with your grocery store because it’s a total GAME CHANGER!

Lobster Mac And Cheese

Makes 4 generous servings

Ingredients

1/2 pound cavatappi or campanelle pasta
1/2 pound lobster meat
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1 1/4 cups half & half
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Process

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions.
In a very large skillet, combine the butter and flour on medium low heat. Stirring constantly until the rue is golden brown. Add about half of the half & half to the mixture and stir to remove the lumps from the rue. Stir in half of the cheese. Once the cheese has melted into the sauce, add in the rest of the half & half, cheese, and the seasonings. Continue to work together until the sauce is evenly incorporated together.
Add the cooked pasta and chopped lobster into the cheese sauce and toss to combine.
Pour into a oven-safe casserole dish or 4 individual oven-safe baking dishes and then top with bread crumbs. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Slightly adapted from Baked By Rachel

Creamy Stove Top Mac and Cheese

September 3, 2009

Mac and Cheese is all the rage now. There is a really good place in Faneuil Hall that is called Mmmac and Cheese. The owner has created a creamy mac and cheese that is great on its own but is a good base for some great add ins like tomatoes, pesto, shrimp, ham, chicken, etc.

Well, I have tried several mac and cheese recipes, some good some bad. So far I have liked Suzanne Pirret’s from her book The Pleasure is All Mine. And now I have found another… It’s from White On Rice Couple. They have a fantastic blog that features their garden, cooking, and travels.

Creamy Stove Top Mac and Cheese

From White On Rice Couple

Serves 4

1/2 pound of pasta- elbow or fusilli (I used fusilli)

2 cups of low fat milk (skim also works), you may need an additional 1/4 cup or so more for final cooking

1 tablespoon butter (optional) *I suggest truffle butter*

1/2 teaspoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon salt, plus additional to season to taste

dash of nutmeg

1 cup of grated cheese, you may combine cheese from cheddar, swiss, gouda, parmesan, asiago, jack, blue, etc. Just make sure to balance a hard cheese with a easy melting soft cheese

pepper to taste (black or white- depends on cheese and preference)

optional additions/toppings: tomatoes, Bacon, ham, chopped parsley, peas, steamed broccoli, breadcrumbs

_____________________

Quickly rinse the raw pasta in a colander, let drain

In a medium sized pot combine the milk, raw pasta, salt, butter, mustard powder, and nutmeg.

Using medium heat, slowly bring the milk to a simmer. You must stir the pasta frequently as it comes to a simmer- this prevents pasta from sticking to the bottom and together, and keeps the milk from burning on the bottom. Don’t leave the stove!

Once the milk is simmering, turn down the heat to LOW. The pasta will cook slowly in the milk (Don’t, be inpatient! If you have the heat on too high it will make the milk evaporate too quickly!)

Keep stirring frequently!

Cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until pasta is done and milk has been absorbed. If pasta is not done then add more milk/water un small amounts until pasta is cooked.

When pasta is ready stir in the shredded cheese.

Remove from heat and cover. Let it rest for 5 minutes- this allows the pasta to plump a bit and soak in excess milk.

Salt and Pepper to taste and Enjoy!!

*By the way, I threw some extra milk on top since we were not going to eat it right away. It would not normally be as milky as it was in the top picture*