General fitness, health and nutrition · Public discussion

Baked Mac and Cheese recipe

Started by BabyJane Hudson · · Last activity · 5 posts · 835 views

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General fitness, health and nutrition
Published
31 March 2006
Last activity
4 April 2006
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BabyJane Hudson
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  1. (I borrowed this from another NG. Sounds great!)
    --------------------------------------------------------------------
    Baked Macaroni and Cheese

    You will love the flavour of sauteed onion, garlic and bacon in this
    rich
    and creamy macaroni and cheese bake. The secret to the cheese sauce is
    constant stirring over low heat. Add the milk just a bit at a time and
    keep stirring!

    Yields: 5 servings

    2 slices bacon
    8 ounces penne pasta
    1 onion, chopped
    1 clove garlic, minced
    3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
    2 tablespoons butter
    3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    2 cups milk

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place bacon in a large,
    deep
    skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble
    and set
    aside. In a large pot with boiling salted water cook pasta until al
    dente.
    Drain. In a medium skillet saute the chopped onion and minced garlic.
    Take
    off heat and add chopped cooked bacon and set aside. To make the
    sauce, in a
    medium saucepan melt the butter or margarine over low heat. Once
    melted, add
    the flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes. Gradually add milk and
    continue
    stirring until thickened. Stir in 2 cups of the grated Cheddar cheese
    and stir
    until melted. Combine cooked pasta, sauteed vegetables and sauce. Pour
    into a
    2 quart casserole dish. Add the last cup of grated Cheddar cheese to
    top of
    mixture. Bake uncovered in preheated oven until cheese on top is
    melted and
    brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm.

  2. I know it sounds gross, but I have perfected the art of making white
    sauce or cheese sauce in the microwave. You don't HAVE to stand
    stirring constantly at the stove... and for a quick macaroni/cheese or
    a cheese sauce for cauliflower cheese it's really quick and easy.
    Melt 2 Tblsp butter (NOT margarine) on high for approx 20 seconds till
    melted but NOT burnt/brown.
    Add 2-3 Tblsp flour and stir well. The mixture should be quite
    firm/dry.
    Nuke for 1 minute or so - depends on the power of your microwave. The
    roux must not brown or burn, so check every so often (10 second
    increments). The mixture should bubble but not brown.
    Add 1½ cups of milk and nuke for 3 minutes. This will create a very
    thick sauce but with no lumps. Beat the blazes out of it, if it is
    lumpy, till the lumps disappear.
    Add 1cup warm milk a little at a time and mix well until you reach the
    constistency you desire. Mac Cheese needs a runnier sauce to coat the
    pasta, while you want a thicker sauce for Cauli Cheese or for bechamel
    for lasagne.
    Then add grated cheese (or ricotta for lasagne!) and mix well, return
    to microwave to heat/melt cheese. Mix well & use.

    Every time I buy a new microwave I have to readjust my timing, but it
    really does take a lot of the hassle out of making a simply white or
    cheese sauce. Experiment a little the first few times so you get to
    know how long the cooking time takes, then it's a breeze.

  3. BabyJane Hudson said:

    (I borrowed this from another NG. Sounds great!
    --------------------------------------------------------------------
    Baked Macaroni and Cheese


    [snip] The secret to the cheese sauce is

    Quoted message said:

    constant stirring over low heat. Add the milk just a bit at a time and
    keep stirring!

    If the proportions of roux to liquid are right it doesn't matter
    whether you add the liquid all at once or a little at a time.

    Quoted message said:


    [snip]

    Quoted message said:

    8 ounces penne pasta

    Penne seems too large and bulky for mac 'n cheese to me.

    Quoted message said:

    [snip] Place bacon in a large, deep skillet.

    That's one.

    Quoted message said:

    . In a large pot with boiling salted water cook pasta.

    That's two.

    Quoted message said:

    In a medium skillet saute the chopped onion [snip]

    That's three.

    Quoted message said:

    To make the sauce, in a medium saucepan melt the butter [snip]

    That's four.

    Quoted message said:

    Combine cooked pasta, sauteed vegetables and sauce.

    In which pan/pot?

    Quoted message said:

    Pour into a 2 quart casserole dish.

    That's five. I don't think this recipe was put together by a cook.
    Certainly not one who has to wash the pots and pans.... -aem

  4. In article <[email hidden]>,

    Quoted message said:

    I know it sounds gross, but I have perfected the art of making white
    sauce or cheese sauce in the microwave. You don't HAVE to stand
    stirring constantly at the stove... and for a quick macaroni/cheese
    or a cheese sauce for cauliflower cheese it's really quick and easy.
    Melt 2 Tblsp butter (NOT margarine) on high for approx 20 seconds
    till melted but NOT burnt/brown. Add 2-3 Tblsp flour and stir well.
    The mixture should be quite firm/dry. Nuke for 1 minute or so -
    depends on the power of your microwave. The roux must not brown or
    burn, so check every so often (10 second increments). The mixture
    should bubble but not brown. Add 1½ cups of milk and nuke for 3
    minutes. This will create a very thick sauce but with no lumps. Beat
    the blazes out of it, if it is lumpy, till the lumps disappear. Add
    1cup warm milk a little at a time and mix well until you reach the
    constistency you desire. Mac Cheese needs a runnier sauce to coat the
    pasta, while you want a thicker sauce for Cauli Cheese or for
    bechamel for lasagne. Then add grated cheese (or ricotta for
    lasagne!) and mix well, return to microwave to heat/melt cheese. Mix
    well & use.

    Does this actually save any stove time, though? It seems to me that
    it would take just as long.

    Regards,
    Ranee

    Remove do not & spam to e-mail me.

    "She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

    http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/
    http://talesfromthekitchen.blogspot.com/

  5. It sure as heck saves me time standing there stirring and stirring and
    stirring until it reaches the right consistency.
    So, yes, it DOES save stove time.

    <nudge nudge, wink wink>
    LadyJane

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