Upscale Macaroni And Cheese Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in 1 layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is crisp. Remove the pan carefully from the oven - there will be hot grease in the pan! Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and crumble when it is cool enough to handle.
• Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.
• Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt the butter in a medium pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or 2 more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, blue cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and crumbled bacon and stir well. Pour into 2 individual size gratin dishes.
• Place the bread slices in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until you have coarse crumbs. Add the basil and pulse to combine. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top of the pasta. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

Steps:

• Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add bell peppers and celery and saute until just beginning to soften, about 7 minutes.
• Remove from heat; dseason with salt and pepper.
• Combine cream, half and half, and blue cheese in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until cheese melts. Remove from heat.
• Add celery seeds.
• Season sauce with cayenne, salt and pepper.
• Beat yolks in medium bowl to blend.
• Gradually whisk in half of cheese sauce.
• Return mixture to saucepan and whisk to blend.
• Add celery leaves.
• Butter 13x9" baking dish.
• Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Return to same pot.
• Add sauce and vegetables; stir to blend.
• Transfer to baking dish.
• Can be made one day ahead, cover and chill. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before continuing.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Sprinkle Parmesan over surface of pasta.
• Bake until pasta is heated through, sauce is bubbling, and top is beginning to brown, about 25 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a non-reactive saucepan. When bubbly whisk in flour and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring every now and then. Slowly whisk in the milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking on occasion for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pan from heat and whisk in grated cheese. Stir vigorously just until cheese has melted. Then whisk in heavy cream to adjust the texture and season to taste with salt and cayenne pepper. In a mixing bowl combine sauce with sun dried tomatoes and drained macaroni and adjust seasoning. Transfer mixture to a 13 x 9-inch baking pan and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle bread crumbs on top and dot with remaining 4 tablespoons of butter. Bake until hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• Return drained pasta to the pot. Mix in processed cheese, Cheddar cheese, and cream. Stir until cheeses melt. Sprinkle with salt.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in the middle of oven. Butter the baking dish.
• Make the topping:
• In a large skillet over medium heat, heat butter and oil until butter foam subsides. Add panko and garlic; cook, stirring, until crumbs are golden brown, 4-6 minutes. Transfer crumbs to a medium bowl, stir in Parmesan and salt, and set aside.
• Prepare the macaroni and sauce:
• Set a large, covered pot of salted water over high heat to boil. Add macaroni and cook until just al dente (avoid overcooking). Drain macaroni and set aside.
• In a large wide pot over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Sprinkle flour over butter, whisking to incorporate and make a roux. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until roux is light golden, about 4 minutes. Gradually pour in milk and cream, whisking constantly to incorporate and make a béchamel sauce. Raise heat to medium-high and bring sauce to a low boil, whisking constantly. Reduce to a simmer, whisking occasionally, and cook until béchamel sauce is thick and coats the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes more.
• Add 2 tsp. salt, pepper, and mustard powder. Add the cheeses in three batches, whisking until each addition is completely melted before adding more. Remove from heat.
• Add the drained macaroni to the pot with the cheese sauce and stir well to coat. Transfer macaroni mixture to the buttered baking dish and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle topping evenly over macaroni and bake until golden and bubbling, 18-22 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers and celery and sauté until just beginning to soften, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.
• Combine cream, half and half and blue cheese in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until cheese melts. Remove from heat. Add celery seeds. Season sauce with cayenne, salt and pepper. Beat yolks in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in half of cheese sauce. Return mixture to saucepan and whisk to blend. Add celery leaves.
• Butter 13 3/4x10 1/2x2 3/4-inch (4-quart capacity) oval baking dish. Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Return to same pot. Add sauce and vegetables; stir to blend. Transfer to baking dish. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before continuing.)
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Sprinkle Parmesan over surface of pasta. Bake until pasta is heated through, sauce is bubbling and top is beginning to brown, about 25 minutes.