Making homemade mac and cheese bake for the first time

[primalclaws1974]

I am making a mac and cheese bake for the first time tonight. I realize it is not a complicated recipe, but I am a little nervous it won't turn out. I am making it out of Velveeta, milk, salt and pepper, and then cheddar shredded on top. I thought about a crumble on top of the cheese, but I don't know what to use, or if this would even add anything to the dish. How do you make your mac and cheese bake?

 

[ACSAPA]

I'm on a tablet right now and have a hard time posting links, but if you Google John Legend's Mac & cheese or Patti La Belle's Mac & cheese, they are both great.
His is good because he uses seasonings, and hers is good because she uses 5 different kinds of cheese. I enjoy celebrity recipes.

 

[H.C. Heartland]

I make a white sauce first (1 T butter melted, then mix in 2 T flour, then add a cup of hot milk and stir for 15 minutes, adding more milk if too thick). Then I add the cheese, then I add the already cooked noddles. Then after it is done you can eat it but its even better if you let it get crispy in the oven for about 10 minutes afterwards.

 

[primalclaws1974]

Interesting that you say you use a white sauce, H.C., because I was telling the family I should have done that. The Velveeta was too overpowering, even when greatly thinned down with milk. When you say you add the cheese, what cheese do you use in your white sauce? I don't mind Velveeta for grilled cheese sandwiches, but this was too much. It didn't go over as well as I had hoped. I also should have used a white grated cheese topping, because it was too much yellow cheese overall.

 

[Trellum]

I make a white sauce first (1 T butter melted, then mix in 2 T flour, then add a cup of hot milk and stir for 15 minutes, adding more milk if too thick). Then I add the cheese, then I add the already cooked noddles. Then after it is done you can eat it but its even better if you let it get crispy in the oven for about 10 minutes afterwards.

That's exactly how I make mine! So simple and so wonderful No complicated recipes or ingredients, just pure simplicity I love that! Best mac n cheese ever! My grandma taught me to do it that way, by the way.

 

[Tina Nord]

I make a white sauce and then add cheddar and gruyere to mine to make the cheese sauce. I don't like using Velveeta because that is one of the most processed cheeses you can get, and it is very overpowering in a dish. I even use it very sparingly when I make queso dip. The gruyere and cheddar makes a wonderful cheese flavor when it is mixed into a white sauce and kind of makes the mac and cheese taste a little more gourmet. Gruyere can be expensive though, so you might want to find a store that makes their own brand like Trader Joes.

 

[primalclaws1974]

I made a white sauce (not for the mac and cheese) the other night. I cooked garlic butter and onions together. I then add a little cream of mushroom, black pepper, leftover Velveeta, and some milk. I think I added too much milk, because it became too thin. Although I used it as a sauce for rice, it ended up being better as a cheese and onion soup. So, I served it as both. My main purpose was to lose that Velveeta taste, yet retain a mild cheese taste. I succeeded in that at least.

 

[Tina Nord]

Sounds Luke a good use of the leftover ingredients. If you run into the problem of a cream based sauce being too thin you can add a little flour or corn starch to it to thicken it up. My mom always takes Progresso soups and adds cornstarch to it and then serves the soup like a gravy over a heap of mashed potatoes. Inexpensive and very tasty dinner.

 

[Diane Lane]

Yum, these all sounds like delicious recipes/ideas. I don't think I've ever made mac 'n cheese from scratch. My mom used to make it and it was really delicious. I make it from the box, but it's not the same, and I've always planned to try making it myself, but just never have for some reason. I'm watching this thread, and hopefully someone will give some details about the cheese they use, and the best topping for a crispy finish.