Homemade Mac & Cheese Recipe Help

Julie G steered you in the right direction. Barefoot Contessa's recipe is the way to go. I have all of her cookbooks and have never had anything that was less than spectacular (and none of her recipes are difficult, which is an added bonus!). The combination of cheeses you need is Gruyere and sharp Cheddar.

I make mac and cheese with mozzarela and velvetta, milk and butter.
I do not really follow a recipe. Just cook macarroni, drain, add equal parts of chesses, 1/4 cup milk, 1 tablespoon butter. Mix until cheese is melted (it helps to melt the cheese if you mix it in the hot pan you cooked it in.) Salt and pepper to taste.

Tracey, what kind of Cheddar are you using? Make sure it's Old Cheddar, not mild. Then yes, it will be very bland unless you compliment with salt and pepper.

I use a combo of cheese: Old (or Sharp) Cheddar, Jack, Cottage Cheese and Parmesan.

For 2 cups cooked pasta, mix a cup of each cheese above with 4 T flour, S&P to taste and sprinkle Paprika on top before baking at 350 for 30 minutes.

I have an incredible jalepeno baked mac&cheese with three kinds of cheese and bacon.
I'll grab it at home tonight and post it for you tomorrow. Heavenly. I make it as a side at our family gatherings and it is G-O-N-E in seconds.

First an fyi. Velveeta and american are not "cheese," they are cheese food.

For a creamy mac&cheese with flavor it helps to start with a bechamel sauce. Essentially, butter (or other fat) and flour cooked together, then slowly adding milk until you have a white sauce. The grated cheese is added to this.

For cheese, choose cheese with flavor. Use sharp cheddar instead of medium. If you want to pump it up, add gruyere for a little tang. Other good cheeses are parmesan or fontina (or american equivalents).

I use Martha Stewart's recipe (link follows), but you really don't have to go that far. You can just make the bechamel/cheese sauce, throw it on the pasta, and you're done. Also, if you use MS's recipe, it makes a LOT. Cut it in half if you're not feeding a huge crowd.

http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2008/05/marthas-macaroni-a...

I use the Barefoot contessa's recipe --http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/mac-and-che...

It is wonderful, though I skip the tomatoes. I couldn't imagine using velveeta and American. That would be like using cottage cheese for stuffed shells instead of ricotta. No thank you.

Love Patti Labelle's recipe for Over the Rainbow mac and cheese. It's definitely not health food. For years now, we save it for a Thanksgiving treat. Four cheeses, half and half and velveeta...it's so bad for you, but so darned tasty too.

http://www.oprah.com/food/Over-the-Rainbow-Macaroni-and-C...

I use REAL (whole) Milk, cheddar, Monterey Jack and Parmasean cheese with black pepper.

I've used Velvetta in the past - yeah - it melts quick but doesn't have the same flavor....unless you add some spice!!! :)

Creamy Crock pot mac n cheese:

2 cups elbow or spiral noodles ~ my kids like spiral best
2 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese (I mix it up with colby too)
3 eggs beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
1 10 3/4 oz can condensed cheddar cheese soup
1/2 stick butter
1 cup whole milk
1/2 tsp salt, dry mustard & pepper

Boil the noodles til tender. In a medium saucepan combine butter & sharp cheese, mix til melted & gooey. In a slow cooker combine; melted cheese mixture & all the other ingredients. Mix well. Stir in noodles. Cook on low for 3 hours.

Hi there! My family loves this one:

Baked Mac & Cheese

Ingredients:
1/4 cup of flour
1 stick of butter
4 cups of milk
5 cups of shredded cheddar
Shredded mozzarella (to sprinkle)
Parmesan (to sprinkle)
Italian style bread crumbs (to sprinkle)
1 pound pasta (either elbow or cavatappi)

Direction:
Preheat oven to 400
Cook pound of pasta per package directions and set aside
Grease casserole dish with stick of butter and then put remaining butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat
As butter melts, stir in flour to form a rue
Slowly mix milk and shredded cheddar, allowing shredded cheddar to melt before adding more milk. As more cheese and milk is added, keep mixture creamy. The end result should be approximately 3-4 cups of milk and 4 cups of cheddar. End result should be creamy.
Mix cooked pasta and cheese sauce together
Pour half the pasta and cheese into casserole dish
Sprinkle shredded cheddar, shredded mozzarella, Parmesan and bread crumbs over first layer
Pour the remaining pasta / cheese mixture over first layer
Sprinkle shredded cheddar, shredded mozzarella, Parmesan and bread crumbs over second layer
Tent tinfoil over casserole dish
Bake for approximately 45-60 minutes until bubbly and bread crumbs are golden brown

Enjoy!!!

I use this recipe w/o tomato and basil:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/paulas-mac-and-cheese/1...

Hope you like it.

I use a combination of cheddar and velveeta, about 2/3 cheddar and 1/3 velveeta, a good sized dollop of sour cream, then add milk until it's the right consistency. Not a very exact recipe, sorry, but this is how I do it.

It's the sour cream that makes the recipe.

Here is and easy favorite in my house. 1 stick of cheddar, one package of velveeta, box of elbow macaroni. Cook the macaroni and cut the cheese into little pieces. Add the macaroni to a big casserole dish (or split between 2)... add the cheese mix together. Pour milk over the top until you can see it come up a little between the noodles. Bake covered at 350/375 for about 30 minutes (stirring halfway through). Uncover and add breadcrumbs to top for last 5 minutes or so. It is creamy, tasty and easy!

Another vote for ina Garten's (the barefoot contessa) recipe. It's so good!

I brought P. Deen's crock pot mac n cheese to a barbeque and it got rave reviews.
http://www.food.com/recipe/P.-deen-crock-pot-macaroni-and...

I just made a delish one last night using all my opened cheeses. Sharp cheddar, white cheddar, roasted garlic/sun dried tomato, mozzarella and Parmesan. Macaroni or potatoes, its a great way to use up odd and ends!