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GardeningCook · August 2, 2015

LOVE Mac & Cheese!!! Following is my favorite adapted homemade mac & cheese - one I love to use whenever I have a lot of flotsam & jetsam bits & pieces of various cheeses rattling around in the fridge bin. (And since we're big-time cheese lovers, that's quite frequently - lol!) However, when I need a real comfort-food fix from my childhood, nothing hits the spot like good old neon-orange Kraft (or Velveeta sometimes).

GARDENINGCOOK MULTI-CHEESE MACARONI AU GRATIN
(adapted from 365 Ways To Cook Vegetarian)

1 pound elbow macaroni
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
2-1/2 cups milk
Approx. a half a pound to ¾ of a pound of a combination of grated or crumbled cheeses (blue/gorgonzola, cheddar, gouda – smoked or regular - gruyere, etc., etc. – pretty much any crumbly cheese that suits your fancy. I frequently make this recipe with all sorts of odds & ends of grateable cheeses I have on hand. If using any blue cheeses though, be careful not to use so much that it overpowers the other cheeses.)
Approx. 4-6 ounces grated Mozzarella cheese
Approx. 4-6 ounces grated Parmesan, Romano, or Asiago cheese
Approx. 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 egg, lightly beaten
Dried seasoned breadcrumbs (optional)
Hot paprika, or a combination of regular paprika & a little ground cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350. In a large pasta pot, cook macaroni until tender but still firm, according to package directions. Drain well & return to pasta pot, tossing gently with 2 tablespoons butter. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour & cook, whisking, 1-2 minutes. Whisk in milk & bring “just” to a boil, still whisking, until sauce is thick & smooth, 3-5 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in cheeses - EXCEPT for Mozzarella & Parmesan - until they begin to melt, about 2-3 minutes. Season with nutmeg & black pepper to taste.

Add cheese sauce to cooked pasta. Add & gently stir in beaten egg, Mozzarella, & Parmesan cheeses. Transfer to a lightly oiled 9” x 13" or similar-size baking dish. Sprinkle with hot paprika or regular paprika & cayenne pepper & a little dry seasoned breadcrumbs if desired.

Bake 35-40 minutes, or until casserole is bubbling & top is nice & brown.

August 2, 2015	#49
GardeningCook Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Virginia Posts: 115	LOVE Mac & Cheese!!! Following is my favorite adapted homemade mac & cheese - one I love to use whenever I have a lot of flotsam & jetsam bits & pieces of various cheeses rattling around in the fridge bin. (And since we're big-time cheese lovers, that's quite frequently - lol!) However, when I need a real comfort-food fix from my childhood, nothing hits the spot like good old neon-orange Kraft (or Velveeta sometimes). GARDENINGCOOK MULTI-CHEESE MACARONI AU GRATIN (adapted from 365 Ways To Cook Vegetarian) 1 pound elbow macaroni 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/4 cup flour 2-1/2 cups milk Approx. a half a pound to ¾ of a pound of a combination of grated or crumbled cheeses (blue/gorgonzola, cheddar, gouda – smoked or regular - gruyere, etc., etc. – pretty much any crumbly cheese that suits your fancy. I frequently make this recipe with all sorts of odds & ends of grateable cheeses I have on hand. If using any blue cheeses though, be careful not to use so much that it overpowers the other cheeses.) Approx. 4-6 ounces grated Mozzarella cheese Approx. 4-6 ounces grated Parmesan, Romano, or Asiago cheese Approx. 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg Freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 egg, lightly beaten Dried seasoned breadcrumbs (optional) Hot paprika, or a combination of regular paprika & a little ground cayenne pepper Preheat oven to 350. In a large pasta pot, cook macaroni until tender but still firm, according to package directions. Drain well & return to pasta pot, tossing gently with 2 tablespoons butter. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour & cook, whisking, 1-2 minutes. Whisk in milk & bring “just” to a boil, still whisking, until sauce is thick & smooth, 3-5 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in cheeses - EXCEPT for Mozzarella & Parmesan - until they begin to melt, about 2-3 minutes. Season with nutmeg & black pepper to taste. Add cheese sauce to cooked pasta. Add & gently stir in beaten egg, Mozzarella, & Parmesan cheeses. Transfer to a lightly oiled 9” x 13" or similar-size baking dish. Sprinkle with hot paprika or regular paprika & cayenne pepper & a little dry seasoned breadcrumbs if desired. Bake 35-40 minutes, or until casserole is bubbling & top is nice & brown. __________________ My body is a temple. Unfortunately, it's a fixer-upper.