Best Aunt Lydias German Style Baked Macaroni Recipes

AUNT LYDIA'S GERMAN-STYLE BAKED MACARONI

Steps:

• Cook and drain elbow pasta and place into a buttered roasting pan.
• In a saucepan on the stovetop, melt 1/2 stick butter or margarine.
• Saute onions for 3 minutes.
• Mix flour into the cold milk, stirring to remove any lumps; Pour milk/flour mixture into saucepan with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and dry mustard.
• Cook until just hot; stir in cheddar cheese and pour over elbow macaroni in roasting pan.
• Melt the other 1/2 stick butter or margarine and mix into breadcrumbs to moisten.
• Sprinkle on breadcrumbs and paprika.
• Bake in 350 degree oven for 35 minutes or until golden brown on top.

THE BEST BAKED MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just slightly softened, about 6 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and rinse under cold water.
• Meanwhile, remove the crusts from the bread and cut into 1-inch cubes. Pulse in the food processor until the bread breaks into bean-sized pieces.
• Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring, until toasted, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.
• Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, mustard powder and cayenne. Cook, whisking constantly, until smooth and slightly golden, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cook, whisking occasionally, until the sauce begins to boil and thicken, about 7 minutes, then remove from heat. Stir in the fontina, Gruyere and all but 1 1/2 cups of the Cheddar until fully melted. Stir in the pasta, adding the reserved pasta water as needed to make a creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
• Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a small bowl in the microwave. Brush a 9-by-13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with the melted butter. Spread the pasta mixture in the prepared dish. Sprinkle the remaining Cheddar evenly over the pasta, then scatter the toasted breadcrumbs on top. Bake until heated through and just bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

IDA'S BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Melt 1 stick of butter in a saucepan. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the milk and cook until heated through. Add the cheese gradually, stirring constantly, until it is melted and the sauce is smooth. Place the macaroni in the prepared baking dish. Pour the cheese mixture over the macaroni and stir to coat the macaroni evenly.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the bread crumbs and sauté until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle the crumbs over the top of the macaroni and cheese.
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until the top of the mixture is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. Let the macaroni sit for 15 minutes before serving.