# Need ideas for mac and cheese dinner



## thenamesdave (Aug 4, 2011)

Hi, all.

I'm searching the internet high and low for a delicious macaroni and cheese recipe (casserole style) that I can serve with a nice vegetable side or maybe a salad.

1. Do you have any macaroni and cheese recipes that you have encountered or made personally that you believe to be the best ever?

2. What kind of vegetable side would you serve with a hearty, heavy mac and cheese?

This is an event where we'll be celebrating a friend's achievement, and he's told us he wants to celebrate by "coming over to cook all day."  My kind of party!  

Suggestions welcome!


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## Selkie (Aug 4, 2011)

There's two ways to go on this:

1. A box of Kraft Mac & Cheese Dinner (it's a larger box) to which I add shredded Parmesan cheese, shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese, and a couple of tablespoons of cream. Then I add broccoli florets and gently fold it all together. Pour into a greased baking dish and top with slivered or shaved almonds. Bake until golden brown and bubbly.

2. Same as above except use plain elbow macaroni, velvetta cheese and milk to make a basic mac & cheese casserole, then add the extra stuff I outlined above (cheeses, cream, almonds.)

I'd go with an asparagus salad on the side.

What you chose to do, have fun!!!


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## thenamesdave (Aug 4, 2011)

Unfortunately, I need to avoid macaroni and cheese in a box because the person I'm cooking for has celiac disease. The gluten-free pasta is quite good and will hold up well to baking. But thanks for the filling ideas!


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## Snip 13 (Aug 4, 2011)

Maybe this will help, here's a gluten free mac 'n cheese that is pretty good and I would serve it with a peppery green salad. Mix fresh greens like rocket, watercress, baby spinach and pea shoots. Add some sliced radishes and a few halved cherry tomatoes. Serve with olive oil and balsamic or lemon vinegarette. And some gluten free bread and butter.
Gluten Free Macaroni and Cheese - Recipe for Gluten Free Macaroni and Cheese


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## 4meandthem (Aug 4, 2011)

Mine is well liked by family and freinds.

oven to 350


1/2 stick butter
1 small onion diced
1/2 cup flour
pinch of nutmeg
4 cups milk
2 packages Kraft Deli deluxe real american cheeese (no substitute)cut up.save 6 slices
1lb elbow macaroni (cooked)
1/4 cup sprinkle cheese. (parmesan)

Optional: diced heel of Parmaggiano Reggiano 

In a sauce pan melt butter and onion until onion is softened add flour and nutmeg and cook for at least 1 1/2 minute. Add cold milk while whisking constantly.When milk is hot start adding the amarican cheese until smooth sauce is made.

In a cassarole dish combine cheese sauce and macoroni and add diced parm heel.
cover with reserved slices of cheese and sprinkle with jarred parm.

Bake for 45 minutes or until well browned and bubbly.


I love to make a cross rib roast with this and green beans. I keep the roast slices thin.


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## Zhizara (Aug 4, 2011)

I usually just boil some elbow macaroni, and melt cheeses with cream of something soup, (usually chicken as it doesn't add a lot a flavor).  

For a whole meal, I add a handful of frozen mixed vegetables to the salted water I'm cooking the macaroni in, drain, add the cheese mixture and sliced kielbasa or ham.

Top with bread crumbs or panko and squirt with buttery oil spray, and cook for 30 minutes at 350°


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## Janet H (Aug 4, 2011)

For a special mac n cheese:

using your favorite mac n cheese recipe....

Place thin layer of raw mac n cheese in bottom of casserole then layer in a can of loosely diced canned artichoke hearts and some re hydrated and sliced sundried tomatoes. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and top with the rest of the mac and bake till cooked. 

Top casserole with a few slices of fresh tomato sprinkled with some Frito crumbs and broil for a few minutes to brown.  Fritos are gluten free.

For sides I would serve:
Steamed broccoli and carrots (together) as a side, with a little butter and lemon
A salad of pickled beets, fresh cukes, chopped toasted hazlenuts  and orange segments on some arugula. (vinaigrette)

Dessert: 
Cherries Jubilee (also no gluten)  Very Festive!


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## jennyema (Aug 4, 2011)

Bobby Flay lost his mac and cheese throwdown to a woman named Delilah who used this recipe.  Its really good.

Delilah's 7 Cheese Mac and Cheese Recipe : : Food Network


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## buckytom (Aug 4, 2011)

oh man, these all look so good! i love mac-n-cheese, but the boxed stuff reminds me of baby food. i guess ut's because we served it to my son so often when he was very sick as an infant. at times it was all he would eat.

but a homemade mac-n-cheese?  keep 'em coming.

i like selkie's idea of adding broccoli florets and almonds.

my sister made one once with cubed ham that was very good.


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## ella/TO (Aug 4, 2011)

Okay,  here's my grandma's recipe.....but I really don't have specified amounts....you have to eyeball it....
Whole package of wide egg noodles....boiled for about 6 min., then drained
good amount of old orange cheddar cheese, grated
1 or 1 1/2 cans cream of tomato soup....Campbells or Heinz....even can use some spagetti sauce if you  have some hanging around
if  you like.  You can start of with a bit of saute onion.....for taste....I sometimes use it, sometimes not.
Mix the noodles, soup and most of the cheese together and put into a buttered casserole dish. Put the rest...a good amount....of the shredded cheddar on top. Bake at about 325-350F until brown and crispy on top.....This is my Grandsons favourite still, and they're now in their 20's.
It can be served with salad, or any veggie, but the favourite here is either canned niblets or fresh corn!!!!...ENJOY


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## Caslon (Aug 4, 2011)

Selkie said:


> There's two ways to go on this:
> 
> 1. A box of Kraft Mac & Cheese Dinner (it's a larger box) to which I add shredded Parmesan cheese, shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese, and a couple of tablespoons of cream. Then I add broccoli florets and gently fold it all together. Pour into a greased baking dish and top with slivered or shaved almonds. Bake until golden brown and bubbly.
> 
> ...



*Sigh*  I think Kraft cheapened its boxed mac and cheese ingredients. It was a staple for many on a budget way back (poor students and up and comers).  I tried cooking some recently and it was lacking that good cheap orangey chessi-ness I used to enjoy.  Rather bland now.


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## thenamesdave (Aug 4, 2011)

Boy, after spending the day thinking about this and about which ingredients to scoop up for the event, I discovered there are about as many recipes on the internet as there are drops of water in the sea.  There's even a whole website devoted to a different macaroni and cheese recipe every day for a month... Whoa.  Thanks to all for your suggestions.

30 Days 30 Ways with Macaroni & Cheese


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## JMediger (Aug 4, 2011)

I just made a recipe that didn't require you to boil the noodles first.  It came out thick and good!  I'll try to find a link for the recipe.  As for a side/vegetable, I love fresh sliced tomatoes.  Nice and light next to the hot and heavy Mac and cheese.


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## chopper (Aug 4, 2011)

JMediger said:
			
		

> I just made a recipe that didn't require you to boil the noodles first.  It came out thick and good!  I'll try to find a link for the recipe.  As for a side/vegetable, I love fresh sliced tomatoes.  Nice and light next to the hot and heavy Mac and cheese.



Or...bake the tomatoes right on top!


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Aug 5, 2011)

So many great recipes are available, as thenamesdave stated.  The only constants are that the mac & cheese should be creamy smooth in texture and have great flavor.  The smoothness comes from making a great cheese sauce, either as the mac & cheese casserole is baking, or in a pan, and then adding it to the cooked pasta.  The casserole should have a light crunch on top, from baked cheese, but not burnt.

Typically, sharp cheddar adds flavor, while a great melting cheese helps to make it creamy.

I prefer to make my sauce separate, and add it to the cooked pasta.  This allows me to better control the moisture content (who wants soupy mac & cheese, or mac & Cheese that sucks the moisture right out of your mouth!).  I like to use a combination of cheeses such as sharp, white cheddar that has aged in excess of 3 years, maybe some grated colby, and cheeses like Fontina, or Butterkase, or Bergenost (I've had it from yancy's Fancy only once, but fell instantly in love with it), or Velveeta (I know, it glows in the dark), all combined with whole milk, or half 'n half.  Add a touch of good mustard, a a little freshly ground black pepper and you have a great sauce in the making.  For stronger flavor, use more cheddar.  For a more mellow flavor, decrease the cheddar and use the other cheeses, or add Monterrey Jack, or Muenster to the mix.

Finely grate all cheeses and allow to come to room temperature.  Heat a cup or two of milk in a medium sauce pan until it just starts to simmer.  Remove from the heat.  Slowly add the cheese while stirring, making sure it is completely melted into the sauce.  Keep adding cheese until your get the desired thickness.  Add the pepper and mustard to taste.  Combine with the cooked pasta in a casserole dish, sprinkle on some more cheese, and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Serve this with some good, braised chuck roast, or Pork Sirloin roast, and a green veggie, I'm thinking steamed asparagus as it will perfectly compliment the meat and mac & cheese.  I'm now wishing I had that plate sitting in front of me right now.  Oh yehhhhh.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## Chefgunner (Sep 20, 2011)

Mac and cheese in the box is crap. Try using a nice Penne or rigatoni and make the sauce out of a béchamel and add a few nice cheeses and maybe some seafood or prosciutto or pancetta.


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