New York Macaroni And Cheese Recipes

Steps:

• Without macaroni, there is no macaroni and cheese. But while most Americans tend to think of elbow macaroni as the definitive shape, there is a world of options. We'll look at a few favorites.Clockwise from top, shell pasta, cavatappi, elbow macaroni and penne cooked and coated in creamy sauces. By definition, classic macaroni and cheese should be made with, well, macaroni, a style broadly defined as any short, cylindrical extruded pasta. This includes tubes like ziti, penne, rigatoni and, yes, elbows, as well as corkscrew shapes like fusilli. All this is to say that plenty of shapes are suitable for macaroni and cheese (many of which come gluten-free). But you will want to make sure you stay within the world of tiny, tube-like shapes, or those undeniably cute little shells. (Like cutting a grilled cheese into triangles instead of rectangles, they may actually improve the taste of the finished product, if only in our heads.) Avoid long, thin shapes like spaghetti or linguine. Elbow enthusiasts should also note that there's a new kid in town: Cavatappi, a curly, ribbed noodle that's longer than an elbow, may very well be the platonic ideal for baked macaroni and cheese. Its length and curl perch perfectly on a fork, its ribbing is optimal for gripping luscious sauce, and its thickness (slightly thicker than elbows) decreases any risk of mushiness. Whatever shape or style you choose, it's important to remember two things: Always cook the noodles in water that's as salty as the sea to season them from the inside out, and make sure they're cooked more al dente than you might think they need to be. The pasta will continue to cook in the cheesy sauce, which not only gains thickness from the noodles' starch, but also deepens the flavor of the noodles themselves.
• The keys to good macaroni and cheese are in the texture, flavor and creaminess of the sauce. Made of just four elements (milk, thickener, cheese and seasonings), it should be pleasantly creamy but not too thick. Remember that when the noodles are added to the sauce, they will soak up the liquid like a sponge, and, if there's not enough, you'll be left with dry macaroni and cheese: a true punishment.The rule for cooking with wine also applies to cheese: Don't cook with anything you wouldn't want to drink or eat on its own. On average, you'll need a pound and a half to two pounds of cheese per pound of pasta. But the type of cheese can vary depending on the style of macaroni and cheese you are making and your preferred flavors and textures. Cheddar reigns here, somehow always behaving exactly as it should. It melts wonderfully, never breaking or becoming greasy, with just the right amount of salt and tang. Sharp, extra sharp and sharp white are best. To bolster flavor, adding a touch of something a bit more assertive like fontina or Gruyère is excellent, but be sure that at least half of the cheese used is Cheddar. Fontina and Gruyère are richer and fattier and could cause a sauce to break if used on their own. Avoid ultra mild cheeses like Monterey Jack or Colby: While they are fine for melting, they lack the salt or tang to make them worth your while. A bit of Parmesan or pecorino (up to an additional 1/4 cup grated) can always be added for deeper flavor and saltiness, but too much and the sauce could become grainy. Whatever cheese you use, it's always best to grate from a block rather than buying pre-grated cheese (which can contain additives to prevent it from clumping in the bag). Now, in a perfect world, any cheese worth eating would be a good candidate for your macaroni and cheese, but that's not the world we live in. There are many factors involved, including fat, salt, protein and water content, that make one cheese more suitable than another. For example, resist the urge to melt your favorite creamy Camembert (too fatty) or salty Gouda (too grainy) into this sauce. They're much better as a sprinkle here and there.Beware of too much experimentation, though. If, in adding cheeses, you find your sauce appears broken, you can occasionally remedy it by whisking in more milk (if too thick) or Cheddar (if too runny) while it's still warm. But unlike, say, mayonnaise, once dairy breaks, it's often broken for good. It doesn't mean your sauce is inedible; you may just need to lower your expectations. It'll still be delicious, but not as creamy.No matter the style of macaroni and cheese you make, it should be sufficiently saucy, which is to say it needs a good amount of liquid. For that, whole milk is the ideal base. Heavy cream or half-and-half are too rich, even for the most die-hard mac-and-cheese lovers. In a pinch, 2 percent will work, but avoid nonfat, as it's likely to break the sauce and make it grainy.Milk and cheese alone are not enough to emulsify the sauce in a macaroni and cheese, nor are they enough to properly thicken. The solution is typically in a traditional béchamel-like sauce (milk thickened with a roux of melted butter and flour), although it is possible to do a stellar version without. The creamy weeknight mac and cheese, below, which uses cream cheese as the thickener, is an excellent example. Whatever you do, use caution: The sauce in the pot should be decidedly thinner than you'd want it to be in the finished dish. It will continue to thicken as it is absorbed into the pasta or reduces in the cooking process.The cheese sauce should be properly seasoned with salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper (which cannot be undervalued, especially if you know the pleasures of a good cacio e pepe). But it doesn't have to end there. For some, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of ground spices like hot or smoked paprika, cayenne and dried mustard are a welcome addition, especially if you like a little heat. A pinch of ground turmeric is fun if you're looking to mimic the neon-orange hue of a boxed macaroni and cheese. One to two cloves of raw garlic or 1/4 medium onion can be grated and added to the milk before the cheese to increase the savoriness and complexity.
• Bread crumbs are not mandatory in your macaroni and cheese, but they introduce much-needed texture and crunch to an otherwise soft and creamy dish.The beauty of a good bread-crumb topping is that it can be used as a vehicle for more flavor if you mix in ingredients like Parmesan, garlic, bacon or herbs before baking. It's hard to beat a coarse bread crumb from a day-old loaf, but panko does an excellent job as a stand-in. To top a baked macaroni and cheese, mix about 1 cup bread crumbs with 4 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and add any mix-ins (1/4 cup grated Parmesan; 2 grated garlic cloves; 4 strips crisp, crumbled bacon; 2 tablespoons chopped parsley or thyme) before scattering it all over the dish in a thin, even layer. A thick layer will have a hard time evenly crisping, resulting in sogginess. If bread crumbs aren't your thing, grating more cheese (about 1 cup) over the top for an ultra deep, golden brown top is a most excellent move. For a stovetop macaroni and cheese, mix about 1 cup bread crumbs with 4 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toast in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. Add any mix-ins (1/4 cup grated Parmesan; 2 grated garlic cloves; 4 strips crisp, crumbled bacon; 2 tablespoons chopped parsley or thyme) before scattering over your prepared macaroni and cheese.
• Macaroni and cheese comes in many forms: There are ultracreamy macs made with processed cheese, tangy ones made with farmhouse Cheddar, those packed with noodles and baked into a pie and those poured out of a box and cooked in an instant. But for our purposes, we'll be looking at two styles that more or less define the genre, stovetop and baked.Both baked and stovetop macaroni and cheese stem from the same basic elements, but the differences lie largely in the sauce, cooking method and, of course, the time. A classic baked macaroni and cheese relies on a béchamel-like sauce. While the technique for building it is the same, a béchamel for macaroni and cheese is thinner than what you'd need for lasagna or croque-monsieur. It should be cooked and whisked until it coats the back of a spoon with the viscosity of cold heavy cream. The added cheese and cooking time will thicken it. Once the macaroni and the cheese sauce are combined, and the bread crumbs added, it'll go into the oven. You'll want to place the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil to catch the inevitable bubbles and drips of cheese sauce, making clean up exponentially easier. You'll know it's done when the macaroni in the center of the baking dish no longer seems runny, and the bread crumbs are a deep golden brown. (The edges will always cook faster than the center, excellent news for those who love crisp bits.) If you notice the center becoming dry before the bread crumbs are golden brown, increase the temperature to help them along. You could make a baked macaroni and cheese on a quiet weeknight, when you have a bit more time or don't mind eating late. But sometimes that's not possible. That's where the stovetop mac comes in. Perfect for busy weeknights, when it feels like everything is spiraling, and you need comfort quickly: Our stovetop macaroni and cheese comes together in less than half an hour, no fancy sauces required. Al dente pasta (shells are especially festive, but you can use anything you'd like) is combined with milk, cream cheese and Cheddar. Before you think about skipping the cream cheese, don't. The emulsifiers in it are what binds the sauce, preventing it from breaking (thus, rendering a flour roux unnecessary), and adding a silkiness that will make you forget about those instant versions. Extra stovetop macaroni and cheese is a myth, but if you do have any leftovers, it's easy to gently reheat on the stovetop over low heat. Add a splash of milk and stir gently but frequently to prevent scorching your pot.
• Like a well-made margherita pizza, a classic, unadulterated macaroni and cheese is hard to beat. But if the continued enthusiasm for truffled lobster mac and cheese is any indication, for some people more is more.Kale or Broccoli Rabe: Add 2 cups (steamed or blanched) chopped kale or broccoli rabe to the noodles and cheese while mixing together. Broccoli or Cauliflower: Add 2 cups (steamed, blanched or roasted) chopped broccoli or cauliflower to the noodles and cheese while mixing together.Mushrooms: Add 2 cups sautéed or roasted mushrooms (any kind works here) to the noodles and cheese while mixing together.Bacon: Add ½ pound crisped, chopped bacon to the noodles and cheese while mixing together.Lobster: Add the chopped meat of one steamed 1½-pound lobster to the noodles and cheese while mixing together.More Cheese: Stir in an additional 1 cup (4 ounces) grated cheese (like Cheddar, fontina, Gruyère, Gouda or mozzarella), crumbled blue cheese (like Gorgonzola) or creamy cheese (like chevre or Camembert).Roasted Garlic: Mix the cloves from 1 head of roasted garlic with the cheese sauce before adding to the noodles.Caramelized Onions or Shallots: Add 1 cup of caramelized onions or shallots to the noodles and cheese while combining noodles and sauce sauce.Herbs: Add a few thyme sprigs to the warm milk or béchamel as you build the sauce, and allow it to steep 10 to 15 minutes before removing them and adding the cheese.

Steps:

• Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until just barely al dente; drain.
• Meanwhile, bring milk up to a simmer in a large pot. (The pot should be large enough to hold all the pasta when cooked.) Reduce heat to low, add cream cheese, and whisk until it's completely blended and no lumps remain. Add Cheddar cheese and butter, whisking until everything is completely melted. Season with salt and a generous amount of pepper.
• Add cooked pasta and stir to coat. Continue to cook over medium-low heat until the sauce has thickened and is coating each piece of pasta nicely, 2 to 3 minutes; sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. Season again with more salt and pepper before serving.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. (If you're planning to bake the macaroni and cheese in a baking dish instead of a skillet, butter 9-by-13-inch baking dish or other 3-quart casserole.)
• Meanwhile, in a deep, large (12-inch) ovenproof skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, thyme sprigs and bay leaf, if using, and season with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid, baking sheet or foil and cook, stirring once or twice, until the onions are softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Uncover and continue to cook on medium-high, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. If the onions look dry, add a few tablespoons of water at a time to prevent them from burning, scraping up any browned bits that are stuck to the bottom of the skillet. (You will need to do this several times.)
• While the onions are cooking, heat the oven to 450 degrees. Cook the pasta in the boiling water until 2 minutes shy of al dente; drain and set aside. Rub one side of each baguette slice with garlic.
• When the onions are a deep golden brown, discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf and deglaze the skillet with the vinegar until evaporated, scraping up browned bits as you go, about 30 seconds. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. When melted, add the flour and cook, stirring, until the flour begins to stick to the bottom of the pan and has turned a light golden brown, about 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, whisking often.
• Reserve 1 cup of the Gruyère. Carefully add the remaining Gruyère and all the Cheddar to the caramelized onion mixture and carefully stir until melted. If your pan is big enough, add the cooked pasta and stir to combine, or combine the sauce and pasta in the prepared dish.
• Spread the pasta mixture in an even layer in the prepared dish, then top with the baguette slices, garlic-side up. Sprinkle the toasts with the reserved 1 cup Gruyère and season with pepper. Place the skillet or dish on a sheet pan and bake until bubbly and brown in spots, 10 to 15 minutes. If you like a crispier top, broil for a few minutes. Let cool slightly, then garnish with fresh thyme leaves.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a 1 1/2-quart heat-proof dish, such as a souffle pan, in oven to warm.
• In a small baking pan, combine bread crumbs, a pinch of salt and the melted butter. Mix well and set aside.
• In a large pot, bring 8 cups of water to a boil. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and the macaroni. Cook until almost tender but still a little firm to the bite. Drain and transfer to preheated dish. Stir in remaining 4 tablespoons of butter.
• In a small bowl, combine eggs, 1 cup of the evaporated milk, the pepper sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt, the black pepper and the mustard mixture. Mix well. Pour egg mixture over macaroni. Add 3/4 of the cheese, and stir until thoroughly combined and cheese starts to melt.
• Place dish of macaroni and cheese in the oven, and bake for 5 minutes. Remove dish from oven and add about half of the remaining evaporated milk, and half of the remaining cheese. Stir well, and return pan to oven. Bake 5 minutes longer, remove pan from oven, and stir thoroughly. If mixture does not look moist and creamy, add a little more of the milk and cheese. Return to oven for an additional 20 minutes, removing pan from oven halfway through to stir in remaining evaporated milk and cheese.
• While macaroni is baking, add pan of bread crumbs to oven. Bake until bread crumbs are toasted and golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. When macaroni has baked, sprinkle surface with toasted bread crumbs, and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees and position an oven rack in upper third of oven. Use 1 tablespoon butter to grease a 9-inch round or square baking pan.
• In a blender, purée cottage cheese, milk, mustard, cayenne, nutmeg and salt and pepper. Reserve 1/4 cup grated Cheddar for topping. In a large bowl, combine remaining grated Cheddar, milk mixture and uncooked pasta. Pour into prepared pan, cover tightly with foil and bake 30 minutes.
• Uncover pan, stir gently, sprinkle with reserved cheese and dot with remaining tablespoon butter. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes more, until browned. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 2-quart baking dish.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Add macaroni and cook al dente, a minute short of however long you typically cook pasta if you were serving it right away. Use a skimmer or strainer to lift macaroni from cooking water and transfer it to a large bowl. Toss with 2 teaspoons olive oil and set aside.
• Add broccoli to boiling water and boil 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of cold water, drain, and then drain again on paper towels or a kitchen towel.
• To make béchamel, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat in a medium-size heavy saucepan. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in flour and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until smooth and bubbling, but not browned. It should have the texture of wet sand. Whisk in milk all at once and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly until mixture begins to thicken. Turn heat to very low and simmer, whisking often and scraping the bottom and edges of the pan with a rubber spatula, for 15 minutes, until sauce has thickened and lost its raw flour taste. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Remove from heat.
• Strain béchamel while hot into the bowl with the pasta. Add cheeses and broccoli and stir together until pasta is nicely coated with sauce. Scrape into prepared baking dish.
• Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until bubbly and the top is lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• In a large pot or skillet, combine the macaroni, broccoli, milk, salt and garlic powder. Add 3 cups of water, and stir to combine. (The pasta may not be fully submerged. That's OK!) Bring to an active simmer over medium-high. Reduce the heat to medium to gently simmer. Cook, stirring often to ensure even cooking and to keep things from sticking to the bottom of the pot, until the pasta is tender, and the liquid resembles heavy cream and coats the noodles, 8 to 12 minutes. If the liquid evaporates so much that you don't see any between noodles, add 1/2 cup water. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer.
• Remove from heat and stir in the Cheddar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Eat!

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil for cooking the macaroni. Add salt to taste. Add the macaroni and cook 10 to 12 minutes, or until tender. Drain and return to pot.
• Meanwhile, cut the ham into 1/2-inch cubes and set aside. There should be about 2 cups.
• Slice the mushrooms. There should be about 2 cups.
• Cut the Cheddar into slices about 1/4 inch thick. Stack the slices and cut them into 1/4-inch-wide strips. Cut the strips into 1/4-inch cubes. There should be about 2 cups.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a saucepan and add the flour, stirring with a wire whisk. Cook for about a minute; then add the milk, stirring rapidly with the whisk. Let simmer about 1 minute and add the nutmeg, Cheddar cheese, and salt and black pepper to taste.
• Heat the remaining tablespoon of butter in a skillet and add the onions and mushrooms. Cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are wilted. Add the ham and cook, stirring, about 1 minute. Add the cheese sauce, the cayenne and cream. Cook, stirring, about 1 minute.
• Pour and scrape the mixture into the macaroni and mix well. Transfer to a buttered 10-cup baking dish. Sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese and place in the oven. Bake 10 minutes. Turn the broiler to high.
• Brown the macaroni and cheese under the broiler until the top is nicely browned, 2 to 3 minutes.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 2-quart gratin dish.
• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook pasta to al dente; drain well.
• Transfer hot pasta to a large bowl and toss immediately with Brie and cream cheese until melted and smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, mascarpone and parmigiano. Stir egg mixture into pasta. Season with pepper and nutmeg.
• Turn pasta into prepared pan. Bake until golden brown and bubbling, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Shred cheddar cheese in a food processor (yes, it's a lot). Place shredded cheese in refrigerator while making sauce.
• Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water until the al dente stage (about 10 minutes) and drain. Tip: don't overcook. The pasta will bake later on and overcooking at this stage will make it mushy in the final dish.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until they are translucent but not brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour until the mixture is smooth.
• Gradually add milk to the flour/butter mixture, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add mustard, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Reduce heat and cook, stirring constantly until sauce thickens, about 5 more minutes, Turn off heat, and add two very large hands full of the shredded cheddar cheese to the mixture and stir until the cheese has melted into the sauce.
• Combine the cooked pasta and the cheese sauce and pour into a greased 4 quart baking dish. Sprinkle 1/2 the Parmesan cheese over the top, then sprinkle the rest of the shredded cheddar, then the rest of the Parmesan cheese.
• Bake at 400 F about 20 minutes, or until lightly browned and bubbly.
• Note: This will stay hot 30 - 45 minutes after removing from the oven.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
• Meanwhile, add the cashews to a large nonstick skillet and heat over medium, stirring frequently, until fragrant, toasty and slightly golden, about 4 minutes. Transfer cashews to a blender and add the almond milk. Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel.
• Add the oil to the skillet and heat over medium. Add the onion, garlic, onion powder, ground turmeric and mustard powder, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until onions are very tender, 8 to 10 minutes, lowering the heat as necessary to avoid scorching. Remove from the heat, stir in 1/2 cup nutritional yeast and the tamari, then transfer to the blender.
• Blend the cashew mixture on high until thick and creamy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed. (This works best with a high-power blender, but any blender will work - just keep blending the mixture 1 to 2 more minutes after the mixture looks creamy; it will emulsify further.) You should have about 1 1/2 cups.
• Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water. Drain pasta, then return cooked pasta to the pot. Stir in the cashew cream, then add the pasta cooking water 1/4 cup at a time until you achieve desired sauciness. Season to taste with salt, pepper and additional nutritional yeast, if desired. Serve immediately. (The sauce thickens significantly as it sits. If it starts to coagulate, or if you have any leftover macaroni and cheese, stir in a splash of the remaining pasta cooking water to loosen.)
• If you'd like a little crunch on top, prepare the optional panko topping: Heat the broiler. In a small bowl, add the panko, olive oil and 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast. Pinch the mixture together gently to combine thoroughly; season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Transfer the prepared macaroni to a lightly oiled 9-by-13-inch baking dish, arrange in an even layer and sprinkle the panko mixture on top, if using. Transfer to the oven on the shelf nearest to the broiler and broil until just golden on top, about 2 minutes. (The panko toasts quickly, so you'll want to keep an eye on it.) Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Use one tablespoon butter to thickly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Combine grated cheeses and set aside two heaping cups for topping.
• In a large bowl, toss together the pasta, cheeses, cayenne (if using) and salt to taste. Place in prepared pan and evenly pour milk over surface. Sprinkle reserved cheese on top, dot with remaining butter and bake, uncovered, 45 minutes. Raise heat to 400 degrees and bake 15 to 20 minutes more, until crusty on top and bottom.

Steps:

• For the sauce recipe:
• Use a 5 quart pan. Add cream, flour and then whisk until it is blended. Add your 1/4 tsp. salt and pepper. Add butter that may be grated. Keep the burner on medium at all times. When the butter is melted, add cheddar cheese (must be grated). Add the Kraft Grated Parmesan Cheese. Stir sauce often until all ingredients are melted. Place burner on low and cover the sauce pan, this will thicken up some.
• Boil water for the macaroni in a 5 qt or larger pan because the casserole noodles are larger than the regular noodles. Add to the boiling water: olive oil, 1 tsp. salt and lemon (Very Important). Boil and stir noodles for 10 minutes (do not overcook). When noodles are done, drain them. (Do NOT strain or rinse the noodles). Place noodles in a buttered greased casserole dish and combine the cheese sauce. Stir the sauce with the noodles until most all noodles are filled with sauce.
• Place the Kraft Stove Top Stuffing on a piece of wax paper and press with a rolling pin. Top the New York Macaroni and Cheese. Let the casserole sit for 10 minutes before placing in oven.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes. Take a butter knife and place it in the center of the casserole. Any drippings of cheese, bake an additional 10 minutes.