simple mac and cheese ingredient list

LT72884 · Mar 31, 2011

Just curious to the brethren (sisters included) if this sounds appealing. Ill list the first 4 ingredients of what i like and think would be a good mac and cheese dish. feel free to add a ingredient or 2 if you want. maybe we will come up with a great recipe

Cooked pasta
panko bread crumbs
bacon
velveta cheese

thanks

JONESY · Mar 31, 2011

It will definitely work, I for one am not a huge fan of velveta, it does melt great but I think it has an off taste.

The panko will add a great crunch on top, just make sure to toss them with melted butter first.

If you’re looking for fast and easy, try:

1 lb elbow macaroni
2 jars store bought Alfredo sauce
1 cp parmesan cheese
1 cp mozzarella cheese
1 cp cheddar cheese
panko bread crumbs
butter

Cook your noodles, warm the Alfredo and slowly mix in the other cheeses until melted, combine sauce and noodles, top with buttered panko and bake at 400 for 30+/- min.

This recipe is super simple, saves the time of making your own béchamel sauce, and has way more flavor and character than velveta.

SmokeOCD · Mar 31, 2011

a little nutmeg, a little cayenne

smokindave70 · Mar 31, 2011

I like to use Parmesan, Cheddar, And Munster for the cheese.
I add little garlic powder little onion powder and little celery salt.

starvinmarvin · Mar 31, 2011

If you have a little time, make a bechamel sauce and add shredded cheese (cheddar/jack/jarlsburg, etc.). Takes it up five notches. Mario's bechamel: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/mario-batali/bechamel-sauce-recipe/index.html

Mister Bob · Mar 31, 2011

Everybody has their favorite mac 'n cheese ingredients, these are mine.

Orecchiette (mini ear) pasta
Sharp cheddar and Muenster 50/50
Sour cream
Butter
Home made bacon bits
Garlic powder
White pepper
Topped with a crust of panko, melted butter, Parmesan cheese and a dash of paprika.

Baked in individual size French Onion Soup style crocks.

I think I'm going shopping!

bover · Mar 31, 2011

I would add in some fresh garlic and thyme. There's just something special about the flavor profile that comes out of those two in a bechamel.

Hoggy Style · Mar 31, 2011

There is always Mac and Cheese around my house with two lil' boys, I eat it with a little hot salsa mixed in it (preferably Margaritas Salsa here in KC)

TIMMAY · Mar 31, 2011

starvinmarvin said:
If you have a little time, make a bechamel sauce and add shredded cheese (cheddar/jack/jarlsburg, etc.). Takes it up five notches. Mario's bechamel: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/mario-batali/bechamel-sauce-recipe/index.html

YES!!!!! Any version with a bechamel sauce is going to be way creamier than just plain cheese. I do a version with bacon and mushrooms from the diners drives and dives book. As long as you start with the sauce you can add any cheese you want although I pretty much go with cheddar parmesan and asiago. We all love mozzarella but I think you get a bolder flavor from the others mentioned.

Here's a basic recipe with the sauce all you would have to do is add the bacon and shave some of the salt out of the recipe to compensate.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/colorado-river-of-cheese-and-macaroni-recipe/index.html

BBQ Grail · Mar 31, 2011

You lost me at velveta.

Grafixgibbs · Mar 31, 2011

starvinmarvin said:
If you have a little time, make a bechamel sauce and add shredded cheese (cheddar/jack/jarlsburg, etc.). Takes it up five notches. Mario's bechamel: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/mario-batali/bechamel-sauce-recipe/index.html

OH YEAH! I add some onion. Many time I will cook kielbasa on top of it.

Grafixgibbs · Mar 31, 2011

Missed this thread and started another about cooking it on a cooker. Getting that smokey flavor in the cheese. Not sure how it would work though

early mornin' smokin' · Mar 31, 2011

what's velveeta? seriously, that's not cheese and should never be bought! making a béchamel takes a few minutes, and adds serious flavor, and has none of the god knows what is in velveeta. I add a clove or 2 of fresh garlic to the butter, along with some shallots. than I melt down some extra sharp cheddar and either colby/jack or pepper jack cheese, top with some panko lightly browned with butter thats been melted with more fresh garlic, and bake, too good.

Jason TQ · Mar 31, 2011

I started doing the bechamel sauce a few years back and have put my basic ratio of ingredients that makes it really simple as at first I was intimidated by the bechamel because I hate things with lots of ingredients. Except my rub of course

. But there really is only 3 key ingredients for the bechamel. 4 if you then count the cheese.

Though I always have boxed Kraft on hand in case I don't have what I need to make it by scratch. Still love me some Kraft.

My Bechamel Ratio for a 9x13 pan of Mac
-3TBS Butter
-3TBS Flour
-3 Cups Milk
-Cheese: this is where i make changes depending upon my crowd. Some people like more and some like less. I add at least .5lbs of cheese and mix it up all the time with the types of cheese I use.

Other recipes call for slightly different ratio's so what I have is simply what works for me and is easy to remember.

For the pasta I always have elbow on standby, but love using things like corkscrew pasta, small penne and my new favorite is Radiatori which I get at Walmart.

I also started using the cheddar fish crackers as a topping. I grind up some and spread on the top before I bake.

QDoc · Mar 31, 2011

early mornin' smokin' said:
what's velveeta? seriously, that's not cheese and should never be bought! making a béchamel takes a few minutes, and adds serious flavor, and has none of the god knows what is in velveeta. I add a clove or 2 of fresh garlic to the butter, along with some shallots. than I melt down some extra sharp cheddar and either colby/jack or pepper jack cheese, top with some panko lightly browned with butter thats been melted with more fresh garlic, and bake, too good.

http://www.squidoo.com/velveetainfo

Shifty1 · Mar 31, 2011

Half & Half
Butter
Grated Parm
Rouge creamery blue cheese
Sharp Tillamook cheddar

BBQ Grail · Mar 31, 2011

Shifty1 said:
Half & Half
Butter
Grated Parm
Rouge creamery blue cheese
Sharp Tillamook cheddar

I love Rouge's Caveman Blue! And their Smokey Blue is farking awesome. I'd really like to get my hands on the Crater Lake Blue so I could try it.

BBQ Grail · Mar 31, 2011

early mornin' smokin' said:
what's velveeta? seriously, that's not cheese and should never be bought! making a béchamel takes a few minutes, and adds serious flavor, and has none of the god knows what is in velveeta. I add a clove or 2 of fresh garlic to the butter, along with some shallots. than I melt down some extra sharp cheddar and either colby/jack or pepper jack cheese, top with some panko lightly browned with butter thats been melted with more fresh garlic, and bake, too good.

A bechamel is to mac & cheese what a roux is to gumbo...

firemedic · Mar 31, 2011

Jalapeños. Or candied jalapeños.

Grabnabber · Mar 31, 2011

Ditto on the bechamel. :thumb:

simple mac and cheese ingredient list

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