Mac & Cheese Recipe?

On Sun, 7 Dec 2003 14:35:02 -0800 (PST), [email hidden]

(Richard's ~JA~) said:

My mother made the best mac & cheese ever, which I have tried several times to replicate, and
failed. Hers had a heavy, buttery texture, and was made with sharp cheddar. As much as the good,
sharp cheddar taste, the dish had an excellent "fork" texture, rather than being spoon-creamy. If
any one of you may have a recipe solution for me, it certainly will be appreciated as well as
reported on.

Picky ~JA~

I don;t know if this is the type of macaroni and cheese you are looking for, but I think it is one
of the best recipes around. This is from John Thorne.

outlawcook.comPage0210.htmlOpen ↗

Christine

Richard's ~JA~ said:

My mother made the best mac & cheese ever, which I have tried several times to replicate, and
failed. Hers had a heavy, buttery texture, and was made with sharp cheddar. As much as the good,
sharp cheddar taste, the dish had an excellent "fork" texture, rather than being spoon-creamy. If
any one of you may have a recipe solution for me, it certainly will be appreciated as well as
reported on.

Hope this helps. nancy

Macaroni and Cheese (365 Ways to Cook Pasta)

4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour 4 cups milk, preheated 1 teaspoon prepared mustard 1 teaspoon salt, or to
taste Pinch of ground red pepper 1 pound elbow macaroni, start heating up the water to boil first
1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 4 cups) Buttered Bread Crumbs (optional, recipe
follows)(I always make them)

Melt butter in a large saucepan; stir in flour until smooth. Cook, stirring, over low heat, about 3
minutes. Gradually whisk in hot milk until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture boils;
cook, stirring frequently, over low heat, until thick and smooth, about 10 minutes. Season with
mustard, salt and red pepper.

Meanwhile, cook the macaroni in plenty of boiling salted water until al dente, or firm to the bite,
about 8 minutes; drain.

Combine the sauce, 3 cups of the cheese, and macaroni. Transfer to a buttered 9X13 inch baking dish.
Sprinkle top with remaining one cup cheese and then with buttered crumbs. Bake in a preheated 350
oven until browned and bubbly, about 45 minutes.

(I bake this in 2-9 inch square Pyrex baking dishes. Watch the baking time if you do that)

Buttered Bread Crumbs

3 slices firm white bread (I use Pepperage Farm Toasting White) 3 tablespoons butter

Tear bread into pieces and make into crumbs in food processor or blender. There should be about 1
1/3 cups. Heat butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. When foam subsides, stir in the bread
crumbs. Saute, stirring, until crumbs are golden and butter has been absorbed, about 4 minutes.

"Nancy Young" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Richard's ~JA~ said:

My mother made the best mac & cheese ever, which I have tried several times to replicate, and
failed. Hers had a heavy, buttery texture, and was made with sharp cheddar. As much as the good,
sharp cheddar taste, the dish had an excellent "fork" texture, rather than being spoon-creamy.
If any one of you may have a recipe solution for me, it certainly will be appreciated as well as
reported on.

Hope this helps. nancy

Macaroni and Cheese (365 Ways to Cook Pasta)

4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour 4 cups milk, preheated 1 teaspoon prepared mustard 1 teaspoon salt, or
to taste Pinch of ground red pepper 1 pound elbow macaroni, start heating up the water to boil
first 1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 4 cups) Buttered Bread Crumbs (optional,
recipe follows)(I always make them)

Melt butter in a large saucepan; stir in flour until smooth. Cook, stirring, over low heat, about
3 minutes. Gradually whisk in hot milk until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture
boils; cook, stirring frequently, over low heat, until thick and smooth, about 10 minutes. Season
with mustard, salt and red pepper.

Meanwhile, cook the macaroni in plenty of boiling salted water until al dente, or firm to the
bite, about 8 minutes; drain.

Combine the sauce, 3 cups of the cheese, and macaroni. Transfer to a buttered 9X13 inch baking
dish. Sprinkle top with remaining one cup cheese and then with buttered crumbs. Bake in a
preheated 350 oven until browned and bubbly, about 45 minutes.

(I bake this in 2-9 inch square Pyrex baking dishes. Watch the baking time if you do that)

Buttered Bread Crumbs

3 slices firm white bread (I use Pepperage Farm Toasting White) 3 tablespoons butter

Tear bread into pieces and make into crumbs in food processor or blender. There should be about 1
1/3 cups. Heat butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. When foam subsides, stir in the bread
crumbs. Saute, stirring, until crumbs are golden and butter has been absorbed, about 4 minutes.

This sounds quite a bit like the mac and cheese that my mother used to make. However, she added at
least part of the shredded cheese right to the white sauce and melted it before mixing with the mac
and baking. Other than that it's almost identical, and she didn't follow any recipe, either. Moms of
the '40s seemed to instinctively know how to do things.

I was unable to find it on the foodtv.com website. Could you give the specific url? Or better
yet, post it?

Thanks!

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] (Richard's

~JA~) said:

My mother made the best mac & cheese ever, which I have tried several times to replicate, and
failed. Hers had a heavy, buttery texture, and was made with sharp cheddar. As much as the good,
sharp cheddar taste, the dish had an excellent "fork" texture, rather than being spoon-creamy. If
any one of you may have a recipe solution for me, it certainly will be appreciated as well as
reported on.

Get the Good Eats stovetop mac&cheese recipe from foodtv.com. You'll never go back....

(Lance M) said:

I was unable to find it on the foodtv.com website. Could you give the specific url? Or better
yet, post it?

Thanks!

foodnetwork.com0,,FOOD 9956 20360,00.htmlOpen ↗
--
Susan N.

There are 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary and those who do not.

Thanks much.

Ok, now that is good. Not bowl-you-over can't-get-up-for-an-hour fantasic, but way better than
Kraft. (sorry for using the k* word. It's the best point of reference I have. I was sheltered.) I
used about half the salt and it's plenty. Alton seems to use quite a bit of salt. Don't really know
why. I expected the tabasco sauce to overpower it, but it worked very well. Not hot at all and adds
a nice background aftertaste. The sharp cheddar is a bit stronger than I expected. I might use mild
next time.

Thanks again!

Lance

Quoted message said:

(Lance M) said:

I was unable to find it on the foodtv.com website. Could you give the specific url? Or better yet,
post it?

Thanks!

foodnetwork.com0,,FOOD 9956 20360,00.htmlOpen ↗