Carol’s Comfort Foods

Obviously, I haven’t really met a homemade mac and cheese that I didn’t like.  That said, stovetop varieties typically leave a bit to desire, however if you want to get it to the table in a jiffy, usually the stovetop is the preferred method.  If you’re in a hurry, baking in the oven for 30-40 minutes, just takes too long.  Recently, I found a recipe in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that recommended a great compromise – last minute broiling.  It only takes a few minutes, but still gives you that lightly browned top and a bit of a crunch.  I added the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese for that extra crunch.  Here’s the recipe:

INGREDIENTS

¾ lb farfalle or elbow pasta

8 ounces extra-sharp or sharp cheddar cheese, grated and divided

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups milk

½ cup plain bread crumbs

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

PREPARATION

Position an oven rack in the top of the oven.  Preheat the broiler (make sure your oven is impeccably clean).  Lightly coat an 8×8 inch baking pan with nonstick spray.  Prepare the pasta according to the package’s instructions.  Meanwhile, set aside ¾ cup of cheese.  In a small saucepan, melt the butter and stir in the flour.  Continue to cook for 1-2 minutes, until well combined.  Slowly, whisk in the milk, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.  Add the cheese and stir until melted. 

Add the drained pasta and stir to coat with sauce.  Season to taste with salt and freshly grated black pepper.  Transfer mixture to the baking dish and sprinkle with the reserved cheddar cheese, bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.  Broil until bubbly, approximately 2-3 minutes.  Make sure that you watch closely to make sure that the mac and cheese doesn’t overly brown.

Remove from oven and let cook for a few minutes and then serve. 

Butter Lettuce with Radicchio ~ “French Onion” Mac & Cheese ~ Fresh Green Beans with Sesame Seeds and Soy

Yield:  8 Servings

INGREDIENTS

Topping:
¼ cup bread crumbs
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bechamel Sauce:
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk or half-and-half
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces Gruyere, grated
3 ounces mozzarella grated

“French Onion “Soup”:
2 tablespoons butter, plus 1 tablespoon (or nonstick spray)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 large white onions, thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dry sherry
2 cups beef stock
8 sprigs fresh thyme leaves
1 pound pasta, cooked al dente (elbow macaroni, ziti, or fusilli work well)

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Topping: Combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl and set aside. Bechamel Sauce: Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over low heat in a medium saucepan. Add the flour and stir to combine. Stir constantly, for about 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium and whisk in the milk or half-and-half, adding a little at a time and cook until thickened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Lower heat, season with the salt and pepper and add Gruyere and mozzarella cheeses. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Set aside. French Onion “Soup:” Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Add onions, cover, and cook 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove cover, add garlic and honey, and continue to cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until onions are caramelized, about 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and a generous amount of pepper. Remove pot from heat and add sherry. Return to heat and stir to remove browned bits from bottom of pan. Reduce sherry by half, then add stock and thyme and cook until almost all liquid is evaporated. Remove from heat. Grease a 3-quart baking dish or casserole with the last tablespoon of butter or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Combine cooked pasta with onion “soup” mixture and bechamel sauce, and stir well to combine. Transfer pasta to baking dish and sprinkle with bread crumb/Parmesan topping. Bake until top is golden brown and cheese is bubbly, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.

Recipe:  Brett Greenberg, New York, NY - Ultimate Recipe Showdown: Comfort Foods

Yield:  8 Servings

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ cups coarsely grated Gruyere cheese

1 ½ cups coarsely grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 ½ cups diced rindless Brie (cut from 1 lb wedge)

5 tablespoons butter, divided

¼ cup all purpose flour

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

¾ teaspoon nutmeg

4 cups whole milk

1 ¾ cups fresh breadcrumbs

1 lb penne pasta

PREPARATION

Mix all cheese together.  Set aside 1 cup for topping; cover and chill.  Melt 4 tablespoons butter in large saucepan over medium heat.  Add flour and stir until mixture turns golden brown, about 4 minutes.  Add thyme and nutmeg.  Gradually whisk in milk.  Simmer until thickened and smooth, stirring often, about 4 minutes.  Add cheeses from bowl.  Stir until melted and smooth

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add breadcrumbs and toss.  Stir until golden brown, about 2 minutes.  Transfer to a plate.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 

Cook pasta in boiling salted water until tender but firm to bite.  Drain and transfer to a large bowl.  Pour cheese mixture over and toss.  Divide among eight 1 ¼ cup custard cups.  Sprinkle with the reserved cheese.  Place cups on a rimmed baking sheet and cover with foil.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Uncover and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and continue baking for approximately another 20 minutes, until golden brown.

Source:  Kate and Matt Jennings - Bon Appetit - September 2007

Serves 12

INGREDIENTS

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for casserole

6 slices white bread, crusts removed, torn into ¼ - ½ inch pieces

5 ½ cups milk

½ cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for water

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon freshly grated black pepper

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 ½ cups (about 18 ounces) grated sharp white cheddar cheese

2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated Gruyere or 1 ¼ cups (about 5 ounces) grated Pecorino Romano cheese

1 lb of elbow macaroni

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 375 degree F. Butter a 3 quart casserole dish and set aside. Place the bread in a medium bowl. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour the melted butter into the bowl with the bread and toss. Set the breadcrumbs aside.

Warm the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt the remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the flour and stir for about 1-2 minutes. This is called a roux. While whisking, slowly pour the hot milk into the roux a little at a time, continually whisking to make sure the mixture remains smooth. Cook for about 8-12 minutes until the mixture is thick and creamy. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups of cheddar cheese and 1 ½ cups Gruyere (or 1 cup Pecorino Romano); set the cheese sauce aside.

Cover a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Cook the macaroni until just tender. Transfer to a colander and rinse under cold running water and then drain well. Stir macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle the remaining cheeses and breadcrumbs over the top. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

Adapted From: The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The Original Classics

Yield: 8 Servings

INGREDIENTS

1 lbs elbow macaroni

2 cups half and half

2 cups milk

½ cup Parmesan cheese

1 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese

1 cup grated smoked Gouda cheese

Pinch of salt

Freshly grated black pepper, to taste

PREPARATION

Cook the macaroni per package instructions. Drain and return to pan and keep warm. Meanwhile, bring half and half and milk to a low boil. Add cheeses and whisk until melted. Stir cheese sauce into macaroni and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Source: Five Star Day Café – Athens, GA

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 box Kraft Macaroni and Cheese

½ lb ground beef

½ sweet yellow onion – finely chopped

1 clove garlic – finely chopped

½ green or red bell pepper – finely chopped

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

PREPARATION

In large skillet, add ground beef, onion, garlic and peppers. Saute’ on medium heat until ground beef is browned, onion is translucent and peppers are tender. Set aside. Prepare macaroni and cheese per instructions on the package. After macaroni and cheese is prepared, add in the ground beef mixture. Stir well and then add in the mozzarella cheese and stir until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

This is an “over the top” variation on the standard macaroni and cheese. The different types of cheeses used, herbs and the pancetta give it more depth than your typical mac and cheese dish. If you want to impress your fellow mac and cheese aficionados, this one will do it!

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon olive oil

1-inch thick piece of pancetta, cut into small dice

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

6 to 7 cups whole milk, heated

4 large egg yolks, lightly whisked

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cups freshly grated Asiago cheese, plus more for the top

1 ½ cups Irish White Cheddar, plus more for the top

1 ½ cups Mountain Valley Cheddar, plus more for the top

1 cup grated Fontina cheese, plus more for the top

½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more for the top

Salt and freshly grated black pepper

1 pound elbow macaroni, cooked just under al dente

½ cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 3 quart baking dish and set aside. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until golden brown on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.

Add the garlic and cook until lightly golden brown. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in 6 cups of hot milk, increase the heat to high and cook, whisking constantly until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk in the eggs until incorporated and let cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the thyme, cayenne, and all of the cheese until completely melted, season with salt and pepper. If the mixture appears to thick, add some of the remaining milk, ¼ cup at a time.

Place the cooked macaroni in a large bowl, add the cheese sauce, reserved pancetta and parsley and stir until combined. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Combine together additional Asiago, Cheddars, Fontina and Parmesan in a bowl and sprinkly evenly over the top of the macaroni. Bake in the oven until heated through and the top is lightly golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Source: Bobby Flay – Food Network – Episode# BT0204

Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS

½ lb elbow macaroni

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon powdered mustard

3 cups milk

½ cup yellow onion, finely diced

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 large egg

16 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Fresh grated black pepper

Topping

3 tablespoons butter

1 ½ cup panko bread crumbs

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente. While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in flour and mustard and stir for about 3-5 minutes. Make sure it doesn’t have any lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf. Temper in the egg.* Stir in ¾ of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.

Melt the butter in a sauté pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs and bake for 30 minutes, until lightly browned and bubbly. Remove from the oven and let it rest for five minutes before serving.

*Tempering: Cooking term where you slightly warm the egg mixture, prior to introducing it into the sauce. To temper, you need to add a small amount of the hot sauce mixture into the beaten egg and whisk it rapidly to make sure that the eggs do not solidify. Once the hot sauce is fully incorporated into the egg, you can then add the egg into your saucepan. If you add the egg to the sauce without tempering, your egg will scramble in the hot sauce!

Source: Alton Brown – Food Network – Episode EA1E10

FRIED MACARONI AND CHEESE

This is a recipe for fried macaroni and cheese that was developed by Paula Deen.  My first reaction to fried macaroni and cheese was “I don’t know about this”, however after tasting some of these nuggets, I was hooked.  They are crunchy on the outside and soft and creamy with the macaroni and cheese mixture on the inside. 

INGREDIENTS

 Peanut oil, for frying

1 recipe “The Lady’s Cheesy Mac” prepared, chilled in the refrigerator overnight, and cut into 15 bite-sized squares, recipe follows

Flour, for dredging

1 egg, beaten

Plain bread crumbs, for dredging

PREPARATION

Heat 2 inches of oil in a large, heavy Dutch oven to 350 degrees F.

Dredge each Cheesy Mac square in flour, then egg, and then bread crumbs to coat. Fry for about 1 minute on each side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels before serving.

“The Lady’s Cheesy Mac”:
4 cups cooked elbow macaroni, drained
2 cups grated Cheddar
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Once you have the macaroni cooked and drained, place in a large bowl and while still hot, add the Cheddar. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and add to the macaroni mixture. Pour macaroni mixture into a casserole dish and bake for 30 to 45 minutes. Top with additional cheese, if desired.

Source:  Paula Deen – Food Network – “Paula’s Party”

INGREDIENTS

Kosher salt

1 lb elbow macaroni

4 cups milk

2-3 sprigs thyme

4 cloves garlic – finely chopped

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

5 ½ cups shredded sharp white or yellow Cheddar cheese

Freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup chopped parsley

1 large onion – diced

4 large slices of bacon – sliced crosswise into thin strips

PREPARATION

Bring a pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add the macaroni and cook for 8-9 minutes, until al dente. Drain. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small saucepan heat the milk with the thyme sprigs and 2 garlic cloves. Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, to keep lumps from forming. String the solids out of the milk and whisk it into the butter and flour mixture. Continue to whisk vigorously and cook until the mixture is nice and smooth. Stir in the 4 cups of the cheese and continue to cook and stir to melt the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cooked macaroni and parsley and fold that all in to coat the macaroni and cheese mixture. Scrape into a 3-quart baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1 ½ cups cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

While macaroni and cheese bakes, heat a saute pan. Add the bacon, render the fat and cook until crispy. Add onion, garlic and thyme leaves and cook for about 5 minutes to soften the onion. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, scatter the bacon mixture over the macaroni and cheese.

Source: Tyler Florence – Food Network – “Tyler’s Ultimate”