Festive Macaroni Cheese Recipes

Steps:

• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the macaroni in the boiling water until just undercooked. Drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the red onion and corn and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the onion turns golden brown and the corn begins to blister, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the green chiles to combine. Set aside.
• To make the sauce, melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour, whisking to combine. Let the roux cook for a minute or so, whisking constantly. Pour in the milk, whisking constantly, followed by 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook the white sauce until thick and bubbly, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the half-and-half and adobo sauce. Add the processed cheese, 1 cup of the Monterey Jack and 1 cup of the pepper jack and continue to cook, stirring, until the cheese all melts. Add the cooked macaroni and stir to coat. Fold in the diced tomatoes and chiles.
• Butter a 9-by-13-inch disposable foil pan. Layer with half of the macaroni mixture, then half the corn mixture. Repeat the layers, ending with the corn mixture. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup Monterey Jack and 1 cup pepper jack over the top. Sprinkle the crushed tortilla chips all over the cheese, then sprinkle with chili powder.
• To bake immediately, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake until bubbly and hot, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle over the chopped cilantro and serve.
• To freeze the casserole for later, let cool completely, then cover with aluminum foil, fold over the edges to seal and freeze.
• If cooking from frozen, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cook, covered, for 50 minutes, then uncover and bake until light brown and bubbly, about another 20 minutes. Sprinkle over the chopped cilantro and serve.

Steps:

• In a large skillet, sauté scallions, bell pepper, and jalapeno until softened; drain.
• Cook macaroni just until al dente, 8-10 minutes.
• In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
• Add flour; whisk while cooking, and cook until smooth and lightly browned.
• Whisk in evaporated milk, milk, and spices; stir until thickened.
• Stir in American cheese; allow to melt thoroughly. Add cheddar in one-cup increments, melting thoroughly between additions.
• Mix sauce with vegetables and pasta; add to greased 13 x 9 inch pan.
• Top with breadcrumbs.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350 F 40-45 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Cook macaroni in large saucepan as directed on package, omitting salt. Meanwhile, combine tomato sauce, vegetables and cilantro. Blend evaporated milk and chipotle peppers in blender until smooth.
• Drain macaroni; return to pan. Add chipotle mixture with mozzarella and 4 Singles; cook and stir 5 min. or until cheeses are completely melted. Spoon half into 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; top with layers of half each of the vegetable mixture and remaining Singles. Repeat layers of macaroni and vegetables; cover.
• Bake 25 min. or until heated through. Top with remaining Singles; bake, uncovered, 5 min. or until melted.

Steps:

• Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until it's barely al dente. (It should be more al dente than your average pasta: It's going to continue to cook in the oven.) Drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat butter in a medium pot over medium heat. (The pot should be large enough to hold all the pasta when cooked.) Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the flour is foamy and just starting to turn a light golden brown, about 4 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk to avoid clumping. Add garlic, paprika and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly and paying special attention to the edges of the pot to make sure the flour mixture is totally incorporated.
• Add grated cheese and whisk to blend until the cheese is completely melted. (The sauce will seem thick at first and thin out as the cheese melts; it will thicken while it bakes.) Season with salt and pepper and add cooked pasta, stirring to coat well.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil (to catch any cheesy drips).
• Make the optional topping: Combine bread crumbs, melted butter and Parmesan, if using, in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and, using your hands, mix well to ensure the bread crumbs are evenly coated.
• Transfer the macaroni and cheese mixture to a 3-quart or 9 x 13 baking dish and scatter bread crumbs, if using, evenly over the top. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake until macaroni and cheese is bubbling, thickened and creamy, and bread crumbs are evenly golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 375°. Cook macaroni according to directions, drain and set aside.
• 2. In large bowl mix cream of mushroom soup w/ 1/2 cup milk.
• 3. Save some grated cheese for the top. Except Ritz crackers, macaroni, and cheese for top, add all other ingredients. Mix well by hand.
• 4. Add cooked macaroni.
• 5. Lightly stir until all macaroni is coated.
• 6. Pour into 9 x 13 casserole dish.
• 7. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
• 8. Add Ritz cracker crumbs if you wish. (Makes it really good!)
• 9. Cook at 375° till it bubbles about 25-35 minutes.