From here, you can either eat it stovetop-style or transfer the mixture to a casserole dish, top it with buttery breadcrumbs, and bake until bubbling and golden brown. Okay, I know I said the fun part was adding cheese to the bechamel sauce, but honestly, the fun part is getting to eat the finished mac and cheese! Once the pasta and cheese sauce have been combined, add nutmeg, salt, and pepper for warmth. She also recommends adding a little something funky, like blue cheese, goat cheese, or something flavored like truffle or spicy pepper to build flavor and texture. I really love to create a blend of cheeses that melt well together, so my go-tos are rich cheddars that are sharp but not aged, a nutty cheese like Comte or Gruyere, and then a more robust cheese like Fontina or Raclette,” explains Clare Malfitano, Head Chef for Murray's Cheese Bar. Focus on cheeses that melt well and will create an emulsified sauce that isn't leaching out fat or becoming overwhelming. Now comes the fun part: the cheese! “We really want to highlight the flavor of the cheeses to create a rounded flavor profile. Whole milk is added and the three ingredients continue to cook together until the milk has thickened and the roux has dissolved completely. It starts with a roux, in which a combination of unsalted butter and flour are whisked together and cooked until it forms somewhat of a paste. A topping of crumbled Cheetos? Yes, I did-and yes, it was just as good as you imagine.Įvery cheese sauce for homemade mac and cheese starts with a bechamel sauce, which is one of the French mother sauces.

Over the years, I adapted it to whatever whims and ingredients I had on hand and even started to make baked mac and cheese. My mother made Martha Stewart's version, and I would always sneak some of the butter-drenched croutons before we all sat down to dig in.

Let me back up: For as long as I can remember, macaroni and cheese was my birthday dinner. Haters may hate-that stuff was (and, by all accounts, still is) delicious. And don't tell me I'm the only one with a weak spot for the Velveeta version where you squeeze neon-orange goo out of a silver packet onto your shells, best consumed while watching The Magic Schoolbus. We love Grandma's homemade version that she plunked down on the Thanksgiving table, right next to the green bean casserole.

How do we love thee? Let us count the ways: We love you from a box, preferably in SpongeBob or superhero shapes.

Easy dinner with mac and cheese noodles