How do you make your macaroni and cheese?

[Randomguy]

I made some yesterday, but it was underwhelming.  I think I needed a sharper cheese, and just more cheese.

I made a lot of roux, probably too much for the cheese that I had.  I did add some fresno peppers to give it some mild heat, and the gf was stuck on adding broccoli, so there was broccoli in it, too.

[Thaddeus Kosciuszko]

 

Sometimes I'll throw in a pinch of Himalayan Pink Sea Salt for a little extra flavor...

[Kirby ★]

Usually I heat up something frozen

[Wilbur ★]

With a roux.  Sauté an onion and red and green bell pepper finely chopped. Fry some chopped bacon.  I use about 1.5 cups of shedded old cheddar and half cup of emmantal cheese.  

Salt and black pepper to taste plus cayenne pepper to taste. 

mix with the cooked Mac, sprinkle bread pieces on top and cover with more old cheddar. 

[jsharr ★]

I open the box of Kraft macaroni and cheese, take out the cheese powder and put the macaroni in a pot full of water on the stove.  While the macaroni boils, I cut up the butter needed into small cubes and measure out the milk.  
When the macaroni is cooked to my desired level of tenderness ( I like it on the firm side) I pour the macaroni into a strainer to drain and I return the pot to the stove on low heat, where I add the butter to melt, then add the milk to warm.
Once the milk butter mix is warmed, I remove the pot from the heat and I add the drained macaroni back to the pot and  stir to coat the macaroni.
Once the macaroni is coated in butter / milk, I continue stirring and slowly add the cheese powder to get Kraft Macaroni and Cheese a la jsharr
I then eat the entire pot of mac and cheese.  I will sometimes cover it with some Wolf Brand Chili, without beans of course.

[Prophet Zacharia]

6 minutes ago, jsharr said:

Kraft Macaroni and Cheese a la jsharr

My recipe is very similar. But I try not to eat the entire portion in one sitting. And I’ve never topped it with chili.
 

My wife once made homemade Mac and cheese for the kids, using Colby to try to match the color of the Kraft product. They rejected the attempt. 

[BuffJim]

Key is that the foil cheese packet should be at 68 degrees. 

[Parsnip Totin Jack ★]

38 minutes ago, Thaddeus Kosciuszko said:

 

Sometimes I'll throw in a pinch of Himalayan Pink Sea Salt for a little extra flavor...

How bougie of you. 

[MickinMD ★]

I do a roux with 2 tbsp each of butter and flour, then 1 cup of milk, then 5-8 oz. of sharp cheddar plus a tbsp of jar mustard.

This is my standard "fondue sauce" for mac & cheese, broccoli/cauliflower and cheeze, or mixed with a 4.5 oz. can of crabmeat and layered on whitefish (haddock, tilapia, etc.).

Most of the time, though, I do Kraft Thick & Creamy Mac & Cheese, adding a handful of sharp cheddar and some fried onions.  It requires 1/2 cup of milk instead of the 1/4 cup in the original box and is pretty good.

[Dirtyhip]

I like to make a roux and my cheese choices are cheddar, fontina, and a little parm.  Pour over cooked elbows and bake.  If I am lazy or a busy worknight, I open a box of Annie's.  Sometimes I add a spoonful of cream cheese to it. Homemade mac is more of a weekend dish with the prep and stuff.  I like some cayenne powder in the home mac.

We love mac n cheese with steamed broccoli on the side.  

[jsharr ★]

27 minutes ago, Prophet Zacharia said:

My recipe is very similar. But I try not to eat the entire portion in one sitting. And I’ve never topped it with chili.
 

My wife once made homemade Mac and cheese for the kids, using Colby to try to match the color of the Kraft product. They rejected the attempt. 

I seldom eat the entire thing in one sitting anymore.  I do have some Kraft / Wolf Chili Mac in the fridge at home that I made last week.  Need to finish it, probably before Scouts tonight.

[Randomguy]

24 minutes ago, Prophet Zacharia said:

I try not to eat the entire portion in one sitting.

 

5 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

I like to make a roux and my cheese choices are cheddar, fontina, and a little parm.  Pour over cooked elbows and bake.  If I am lazy or a busy worknight, I open a box of Annie's.  Sometimes I add a spoonful of cream cheese to it. Homemade mac is more of a weekend dish with the prep and stuff.  I like some cayenne powder in the home mac.

We love mac n cheese with steamed broccoli on the side.  

I added some sour cream to mine, too, along with some heavy cream and milk.  A little mozzarella because that is what I had, a lot of medium cheddar, same reason, some parm and such.  I also didn't have enough butter to coat the panko before topping and baking, so that curtailed some of the flavor.

I hadn't made mac and cheese in about 6-7 years or so.  Mine was really good when I kept at it, though.  I forgot a lot.

[Zephyr]

I do not.  Not a fan

[jsharr ★]

11 minutes ago, Zephyr said:

I do not.  Not a fan

Substitute "poutine" for mac and cheese and respond please 

[dinneR ★]

I have not made mac and cheese in years, but I remember the recipe from Staff Meals at Chanterelle as being outstanding. 

I did just receive this recipe from the Pride of Bristol Bay for State Fair Salmon Mac and Cheese. I might try it someday. 

 

[Ralphie ★]

I wait for the mrs to make some. 

[Dirtyhip]

5 hours ago, Randomguy said:

 

I added some sour cream to mine, too, along with some heavy cream and milk.  A little mozzarella because that is what I had, a lot of medium cheddar, same reason, some parm and such.  I also didn't have enough butter to coat the panko before topping and baking, so that curtailed some of the flavor.

I hadn't made mac and cheese in about 6-7 years or so.  Mine was really good when I kept at it, though.  I forgot a lot.

You can mist the top with Olive oil too.  A quick mist will brown up some crumbs. not sure if you have a misto.

[Parsnip Totin Jack ★]

Mac and cheese is all about the cheese. Macaroni is macaroni. The cheese is the star here. Buy quality cheese and go for variety. I like aged cheddar and Gouda. A little Gorgonzola (5-10 percent) adds depth of flavor. I won’t use Kraft cheese; it’s garbage. 

[Airehead ★]

I use sharp cheddar, parm, a little cream cheese, Gouda, and Gruyère. 

[Dirtyhip]

I may be alone in the fontina use.  

[Airehead ★]

53 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

I may be alone in the fontina use.  

Both fo Tina and you g Gruyère have that buttery, nutty taste. 

[dinneR ★]

You could just add bacon and call it the best M&C ever.

[ChrisL]

8 hours ago, Randomguy said:

I made some yesterday, but it was underwhelming.  I think I needed a sharper cheese, and just more cheese.

I made a lot of roux, probably too much for the cheese that I had.  I did add some fresno peppers to give it some mild heat, and the gf was stuck on adding broccoli, so there was broccoli in it, too.

Dutch style is 1/2 sharp cheese like an aged Gouda or Boerkaas and 1/2 Edam. You need the mix of dry sharp & smooth soft cheese.

Cheese sauce is onion, I grate mine, egg, milk, butter, nutmeg black pepper and a little chicken bullion and the cheese sauce is cooked low & slow to temper but not boil the egg.   My mom also added cubed ham pieces.

Once the cheese sauce is smooth add the ham & then stir in the macaroni.  

 

[Further]

5 hours ago, dinneR said:

I have not made mac and cheese in years, but I remember the recipe from Staff Meals at Chanterelle as being outstanding. 

I did just receive this recipe from the Pride of Bristol Bay for State Fair Salmon Mac and Cheese. I might try it someday. 

 

I'm going to be trying this