Best Swanky Mac And Cheese Recipes

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HOMEMADE MAC AND CHEESE CASSEROLE



Homemade Mac and Cheese Casserole image

This homemade Mac and Cheese Casserole is the best you've ever had. Tender noodles in a velvety sauce make the perfectly irresistible dish!!

Provided by Holly Nilsson

Categories     Casserole     Dinner     Entree     Main Course     Pasta

Time 45m

Number Of Ingredients 11

12 ounces dry elbow macaroni
¼ cup butter
¼ cup flour
1 ½ cups milk
1 cup light cream (about 10-12% MF)
½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
salt & pepper to taste
1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup (optional 10.75 ounces)
4 cups sharp cheddar (divided)
½ cup fresh parmesan cheese

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 425°F.
  • Cook macaroni al dente (firm) according to package directions. Drain and run under cold water.
  • Melt butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Whisk in flour and let cook 2 minutes while stirring. Slowly whisk in milk, cream, mustard powder, onion powder, salt & pepper to taste. Cook over medium heat while stirring until thickened.
  • Remove from heat and stir in parmesan cheese & 3 cups cheddar cheese until melted. Add soup if using.
  • Toss cheese sauce & macaroni noodles together. Pour into a greased 9×13 pan. Top with remaining cheese.
  • Bake 18-24 minutes or until bubbly. Do not over cook. Cool 10-15 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 539 kcal, Carbohydrate 39 g, Protein 24 g, Fat 32 g, SaturatedFat 20 g, Cholesterol 98 mg, Sodium 529 mg, Fiber 2 g, Sugar 4 g, TransFat 1 g, UnsaturatedFat 10 g, ServingSize 1 serving

SWANKY MAC AND CHEESE



Swanky Mac and Cheese image

Provided by Kara Zuaro

Categories     Cheese     Dairy     Fish     Herb     Onion     Pasta     Vegetable     Sauté

Yield Makes 8 to 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

1 bunch asparagus
2 pounds medium shell pasta
olive oil
two 1 1/2-2 pound lobsters
1/2 cup each of celery, onions, and carrots
2 cups Fontina cheese
1 cup Gruyère cheese
1 1/2 cups white wine
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 quarts heavy cream
salt and pepper
white truffle oil
3-4 slices of white truffle (optional)

Steps:

  • 1. In a large pot of well-salted boiling water, blanch asparagus. (That is, dump the asparagus into boiling water for just a minute, and then take them out with some tongs and put them in a colander. Run cold water over them so they stop cooking.) Use the same water to cook your pasta, according to package directions. Toss a little olive oil into the cooked pasta so it does not stick together and set aside.
  • 2. In a large pot of boiling water, cook lobsters for approximately 6-8 minutes. When shells are bright red, remove from water, and place in ice water or run under cold water to stop the lobster from cooking any further. Remove claws, shoulder, and tail meat, and set aside.
  • 3. Dice celery, onions, and carrots, grate Fontina and Gruyère cheeses, and set aside.
  • Sauce:
  • 1. In a large pot, sauté diced veggies in olive oil.
  • 2. When veggies become translucent pour in white wine and add your bay leaf. Let the wine reduce by half and then add the heavy cream. Let the cream come just to a simmer and reduce to medium heat.
  • 3. After this reduces for approximately 20 minutes, add both cheeses (reserve a little for later). Make sure to stir frequently. You want the sauce just hot enough to melt the cheese, but if it gets any hotter, you'll run the risk of the cream and oils separating.
  • 4. Once the cheese is incorporated, season with salt and pepper to your liking. Go easy on the salt, though - it does not take much to release the flavor of this cheese sauce. You can use white or black pepper, whichever you prefer.
  • 5. After seasoning, strain the cheese sauce through a medium-to-small mesh sieve or colander.
  • To the bowl:
  • 1. In a large sauté or baking pan over medium heat, add your cheese sauce and lobster. Once heated add your pasta and the little bit of cheeses you reserved. You should get a nice mac and cheese consistency. You can always add more cheese.
  • 2. The final step is to add sliced asparagus just before plating. This will ensure that they remain nice and green.
  • 3. Once the mac and cheese is in the bowl, here's your final touch, and the most important! Drizzle a modest amount of truffle oil over the entire dish. If you do have access to white truffles, 3-4 slices on top is divine. Enjoy.

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