Admit it, as a kid, you loved Mac and Cheese. Not just any Mac and Cheese but the 30 cents a box, just add butter and milk Mac and Cheese. I did too...actually I DO too. Just because we grew up doesn't mean we have to abandon what we loved as a kid, however, there is no reason we can't Adult-a-fy it.
I do enjoy making "real" Mac and Cheese and the recipe is included below, but this blog is about transforming your Mac and Cheese more so than making it. Whether you use a homemade recipe or a box, you can enjoy fancy Mac and Cheese like you find in restaurants.
There are three ways to make Mac and Cheese fancy. The first two are built right into the name, you can change the Macaroni that you use or the cheese. The third way is to add in extra deliciousness OR you could do any combination of those.
Obviously if you're using a box as your starting point, replacing the pasta or the cheese doesn't make sense so you only have the choice of adding things in. I have a few favorites myself but I suppose the choices are unlimited. The first upgrade to your Kraft Dinner is bacon. Bacon is the wonder meat and a staple in any kitchen that fancies itself fancy. I understand bacon isn't the most healthy choice in the kitchen, but who doesn't love bacon? You're eating Mac and Cheese so you haven't exactly made a healthy choice in the first place, you might as well enjoy it to the maximum.
I eat Mac and Cheese pretty regularly so I have several other suggestions for kicking it up a notch. In addition to adding a protein like bacon, you can add tuna, sausage or grilled chicken. In addition, I have yet to meet a cured or smoked meat that doesn't work so you can try a variety of hams, panchetta or specialty sausages like chorizo or andouille. The key to all of these is to make sure they're completely cooked before you add them, drain away any excess fat or drippings and cut them into fairly small pieces. You want to taste the addition without losing the star of the show.
Another path to go down with additions is seasonings. I don't know why it took me so long to figure this out but simply adding a splash or two from the spice rack can really work wonders. I've tried several paths and still have several more that I want to try. If you're using something like chorizo or andouille I don't recommend adding any spices, it is unlikely you'll even taste them. That being said, I've found that a little heat goes a long way with Mac and Cheese. A dash of chili powder or cayenne can add just the right amount of zing to an otherwise rich dish. I usually follow standard thought patterns when it comes to seasoning, but I suppose you could experiment with what you have. I tend to cook within the standard definitions of Italian, Mexican (or Tex-Mex) and Asian. I am by no means claiming these are the only flavors out there, I'm just most comfortable working within those flavor profiles.
As mentioned earlier, there are the two main ingredients that can be altered for a more enjoyable experience. For the pasta, basically use any short pasta, some of my favorites are fusilli and rotini (spirals), rotelle (wagon wheels), farfalle (bow ties) and rachette (little tennis rackets).
Last, but not least, are the cheeses. There is one simple rule to follow with cheese substitutions. The cheese you substitute in must have similar properties to the cheese you're substituting out. The standard cheese for Mac and Cheese is cheddar, ignoring flavor, what are cheddar's properties to consider? First, cheddar is what I would consider a firm cheese. This means using something like brie or parmesan are not good substitutes since brie is much softer and parmesan is much firmer and drier. Parmesan and other hard cheeses are also a bad idea because they have a high amount of salt in their flavor which can really overtake the rest of the dish. Good cheeses to use are Gouda, smoked Mozzarella (not fresh), Fontina, Provolone, Colby/Jack and many others. Obviously, you can make your dish with a combination of these as well.
As with any cooking adventure, part of the adventure is experimenting and sometimes even failing. I've made some questionable choices but so long as you find a treasure once in a while, the journey is worth the effort. I'd love to hear back with which tricks you've tried and whether they met your expectations or not.
Recipe:
1/2 lb. Macaroni (elbows or others)
3 Tbl butter
3 Tbl flour
1 Tbl powdered mustard
3 cups milk
1/2 tsp paprika
1 large egg
12 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded or grated
1 tsp salt
For the topping:
3 Tbl butter
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
I do enjoy making "real" Mac and Cheese and the recipe is included below, but this blog is about transforming your Mac and Cheese more so than making it. Whether you use a homemade recipe or a box, you can enjoy fancy Mac and Cheese like you find in restaurants.
There are three ways to make Mac and Cheese fancy. The first two are built right into the name, you can change the Macaroni that you use or the cheese. The third way is to add in extra deliciousness OR you could do any combination of those.
Obviously if you're using a box as your starting point, replacing the pasta or the cheese doesn't make sense so you only have the choice of adding things in. I have a few favorites myself but I suppose the choices are unlimited. The first upgrade to your Kraft Dinner is bacon. Bacon is the wonder meat and a staple in any kitchen that fancies itself fancy. I understand bacon isn't the most healthy choice in the kitchen, but who doesn't love bacon? You're eating Mac and Cheese so you haven't exactly made a healthy choice in the first place, you might as well enjoy it to the maximum.
I eat Mac and Cheese pretty regularly so I have several other suggestions for kicking it up a notch. In addition to adding a protein like bacon, you can add tuna, sausage or grilled chicken. In addition, I have yet to meet a cured or smoked meat that doesn't work so you can try a variety of hams, panchetta or specialty sausages like chorizo or andouille. The key to all of these is to make sure they're completely cooked before you add them, drain away any excess fat or drippings and cut them into fairly small pieces. You want to taste the addition without losing the star of the show.
Another path to go down with additions is seasonings. I don't know why it took me so long to figure this out but simply adding a splash or two from the spice rack can really work wonders. I've tried several paths and still have several more that I want to try. If you're using something like chorizo or andouille I don't recommend adding any spices, it is unlikely you'll even taste them. That being said, I've found that a little heat goes a long way with Mac and Cheese. A dash of chili powder or cayenne can add just the right amount of zing to an otherwise rich dish. I usually follow standard thought patterns when it comes to seasoning, but I suppose you could experiment with what you have. I tend to cook within the standard definitions of Italian, Mexican (or Tex-Mex) and Asian. I am by no means claiming these are the only flavors out there, I'm just most comfortable working within those flavor profiles.
As mentioned earlier, there are the two main ingredients that can be altered for a more enjoyable experience. For the pasta, basically use any short pasta, some of my favorites are fusilli and rotini (spirals), rotelle (wagon wheels), farfalle (bow ties) and rachette (little tennis rackets).
Last, but not least, are the cheeses. There is one simple rule to follow with cheese substitutions. The cheese you substitute in must have similar properties to the cheese you're substituting out. The standard cheese for Mac and Cheese is cheddar, ignoring flavor, what are cheddar's properties to consider? First, cheddar is what I would consider a firm cheese. This means using something like brie or parmesan are not good substitutes since brie is much softer and parmesan is much firmer and drier. Parmesan and other hard cheeses are also a bad idea because they have a high amount of salt in their flavor which can really overtake the rest of the dish. Good cheeses to use are Gouda, smoked Mozzarella (not fresh), Fontina, Provolone, Colby/Jack and many others. Obviously, you can make your dish with a combination of these as well.
As with any cooking adventure, part of the adventure is experimenting and sometimes even failing. I've made some questionable choices but so long as you find a treasure once in a while, the journey is worth the effort. I'd love to hear back with which tricks you've tried and whether they met your expectations or not.
Recipe:
1/2 lb. Macaroni (elbows or others)
3 Tbl butter
3 Tbl flour
1 Tbl powdered mustard
3 cups milk
1/2 tsp paprika
1 large egg
12 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded or grated
1 tsp salt
For the topping:
3 Tbl butter
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Melt the butter, whisk in the flour and mustard (cook about 5 minutes)
- Stir in milk and paprika and simmer for about 10 minutes
- Temper in the egg and roughly 3/4 of the cheese
- Fold in your pasta and place the ingredients into a casserole dish
- Melt the other butter, toss in the bread crumbs to toast then top the casserole with them
- Bake for 30 minutes
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