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When I think of "classic" macaroni and cheese - either the creamy stovetop stuff or the casserole dishes my mom would bake during the holidays - cheddar is definitely the predominant flavor. But which of those flavors makes the most sense to add to everyone's favorite cold weather comfort food, macaroni and cheese? After all, they have to both taste good and melt and coat pasta well. After a fair amount of tests of my own this winter, here are nine cheeses you should consider adding to your pot next time. Visit the cheese counter at your local supermarket or specialty store and there is a kaleidoscopic array of flavors present in that case. I think the reason why is that most cheeses begin with the same few elements - milk, salt, water and time - and can end up with wildly different flavors depending on the treatment of those ingredients. ** If you have a 15” cast iron skillet or ovenproof braiser, you can follow steps 3-7 and make this a one pot dish.I've been a lifelong lover of cheese, enough so that starting last year I began the process of sitting for cheese mongering certification courses. Bake in the oven until the macaroni and cheese is golden and bubbling, about 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and panko on top of the noodles. In a small saucepan, melt the remaining 1/2 cup butter (this can also be done in the microwave) and toss with the panko in a small bowl. If you are not working in an ovenproof braiser or Dutch oven, transfer the sauce and noodles to a 9 x 13 baking dish that has been greased with cooking spray. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, mustard powder to the sauce, stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is thickened. Stir in all but 1 ½ cups of the cheese (reserve that for the topping). The slower you add the milk the quicker the sauce will thicken. If your milk is very cold straight out of the fridge take this step very slowly. Stir until a thick paste is formed, about 1-2 minutes. In a large braiser, or any large ovenproof pot set over medium heat, melt 1/2 cup of the butter until it is beginning to bubble. Heat oven to 400° F with a rack placed in the middle of the oven.Ĭook the pasta according to the package directions until it is 1 minute shy of “al dente”.
#CHEESE FOR MACARONI AND CHEESE MAC#
Top with buttery panko and extra cheese and pop that baby in the oven!Īnd there you have it, easy mac and cheese! I personally enjoy my serving slathered in sriracha, but it also pairs well with green peas, a big salad or with a few green apple slices on the side! Sometimes I go crazy and sprinkle the finished mac and cheese with a little parmesan (or a drizzle of Sriracha) as well.Add the macaroni to the cheese sauce and stir to combine.Add Tillamook Triple Cheddar Shredded Cheese, salt, pepper, garlic powder, mustard powder and stir to complete that luscious, silky sauce!.The more slowly you add the milk the thicker the sauce will be. Slowly, slowly add some whole milk to your roux, whisking as you go.Make a two-ingredient roux! Butter and flour is all you’ll need for this step to make a simple roux-aka, the base of your homemade cheesy cream sauce.The pasta will continue to cook in the oven, so this keeps it from becoming mushy. Cook your pasta just one minute shy of al dente.Preheat your oven and place the rack in the center-this rack placement ensures an even, golden brown crust on top of your creamy mac and cheese!.Homemade macaroni and cheese is seriously simple to make! With the help of pre-shredded cheese, it truly is a straightforward process that ends with a gloriously creamy pan of mac and cheese that you (and everyone you serve it to) will love! Here’s how it’s done:
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