NO, not for Thanksgiving!
By Mike Thayer
Mac-n-Cheese – This is a recipe that turns an everyday comfort food classic into a holiday special. We’re not talking Kraft Mac and Cheese here, we’re talking scratch made, ooey-gooey, cheese pull and a crispy top Mac-n-Cheese side dish. Shout out to my oldest sister, who instilled an appreciation in me and the craft with a “C” that is scratch made Mac-n-Cheese. It deserves a spot on your Thanksgiving table.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of your favorite pasta, elbow, spirals, shells, penne, bow ties, whatever. I like spirals myself, the pasta clings to the cheese sauce and has a nicer look than elbow.
- 1/2 cup butter, unsalted
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3 cups cheddar cheese, shredded. Go with medium, or mild. Cheddar doesn’t melt as well the sharper it gets.
- 2 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded
- 1 cup Fontina cheese, shredded (Monterey Jack is a good substitute)
- 1/2 Tablespoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3 Tablespoons Panko bread crumbs (for the topping)
- 1 Tablespoon butter, melted (for the topping)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted, boiling water, stirring occasionally and cooking about 1 minute less than the package instructions for an al dente pasta, drain. While the pasta is cooking, shred the cheeses and toss together to combine. Yes, shred your own, a pre-shredded bag of cheese won’t melt/blend as well in making the sauce. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, then add the flour. Whisk to combine and continue whisking for about 1 minute. Slowly pour in the milk, constantly whisking until smooth. Slowly pour in the heavy cream, whisk until smooth and continue to cook and whisk until the sauce is thick and bubbly, remove from heat. TIP: Warm up the milk and cream before adding to the pot, it makes the blending easier and results in a smoother, creamier sauce. Stir in the seasonings and 1-1/2 cups of the cheese, stirring until melted. Add another 1-1/2 cups of cheese, stir until melted and smooth. Add the pasta and another 1-1/2 cups of cheese, folding with a rubber spatula to combine and until you have good sauce coverage on the pasta. Pour the mixture into a greased, 3 quart baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Top with remaining shredded cheese, bake for another 10 minutes. Top with the Panko bread crumbs and melted butter, broiling to get the topping golden brown and crunchy, about 2-3 minutes.
This side dish is one of the more expensive to make, considering the variety of cheeses, milk, heavy cream, etc., but it’s worth it!
$pend Wisely My Friends…
Enjoy this post?
If you appreciate this recipe and want to support more great food, product, service review content, recipes and other great information on BachelorontheCheap.com, you can help keep this site going with a one-time or a monthly donation. Thank you so much for your support! ~ Mike
Scratch made Mac-n-Cheese deserves a spot on your Thanksgiving table – Bachelor on the Cheap
NO, not for Thanksgiving!
By Mike Thayer
Mac-n-Cheese – This is a recipe that turns an everyday comfort food classic into a holiday special. We’re not talking Kraft Mac and Cheese here, we’re talking scratch made, ooey-gooey, cheese pull and a crispy top Mac-n-Cheese side dish. Shout out to my oldest sister, who instilled an appreciation in me and the craft with a “C” that is scratch made Mac-n-Cheese. It deserves a spot on your Thanksgiving table.
Ingredients:
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted, boiling water, stirring occasionally and cooking about 1 minute less than the package instructions for an al dente pasta, drain. While the pasta is cooking, shred the cheeses and toss together to combine. Yes, shred your own, a pre-shredded bag of cheese won’t melt/blend as well in making the sauce. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, then add the flour. Whisk to combine and continue whisking for about 1 minute. Slowly pour in the milk, constantly whisking until smooth. Slowly pour in the heavy cream, whisk until smooth and continue to cook and whisk until the sauce is thick and bubbly, remove from heat. TIP: Warm up the milk and cream before adding to the pot, it makes the blending easier and results in a smoother, creamier sauce. Stir in the seasonings and 1-1/2 cups of the cheese, stirring until melted. Add another 1-1/2 cups of cheese, stir until melted and smooth. Add the pasta and another 1-1/2 cups of cheese, folding with a rubber spatula to combine and until you have good sauce coverage on the pasta. Pour the mixture into a greased, 3 quart baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Top with remaining shredded cheese, bake for another 10 minutes. Top with the Panko bread crumbs and melted butter, broiling to get the topping golden brown and crunchy, about 2-3 minutes.
This side dish is one of the more expensive to make, considering the variety of cheeses, milk, heavy cream, etc., but it’s worth it!
$pend Wisely My Friends…
Enjoy this post?
If you appreciate this recipe and want to support more great food, product, service review content, recipes and other great information on BachelorontheCheap.com, you can help keep this site going with a one-time or a monthly donation. Thank you so much for your support! ~ Mike