Mac N Cheese is comfort food at it's finest, whether for a side dish or a main course people naturally love it. It's great for a home cooked meal, easy to make and economical. It is also a favorite for the church potluck dinner or any get together .

There are a few simple steps to a great Mac N Cheese. As you have most certainly noticed, there are good and not so good Mac N Cheese recipes. One of the most common mistakes is not adding enough cheese, leaving the noodles dry and hard. On the subject of cheese use good quality cheese not the super cheap kind (it matters). The easiest and most foolproof method of making Mac N Cheese, is to first make the noodles and then make a cheese sauce to pour over the top, and then baking. The noodles should be swimming in cheese sauce. Adding flour in my opinion steals a lot of the flavor from the cheese. I prefer to add eggs which help thicken it. If you desire to make a runnier Mac N Cheese (Which is some times better as a side dish) use just one egg or leave them out entirely. Cheese is salty enough on it's own, no extra salt is needed in the cheese sauce!

Variety adds complexity of taste and that is why I like to add a blend of cheeses, but no more than 7, beyond that, your taste buds start getting confused. Some people use 14 or more different cheeses and the flavors start becoming indistinguishable. While adding powdered mustard adds depth of flavor, it is not needed when using a blend of cheeses.

The best noodles for Mac N Cheese are Elbows or large Zitis. Large works best.

My secret ingredient, and one you will see in very few recipes, is mayonnaise. It adds a certain smoothness to your Mac N Cheese that you just can't get without it, once you use it there's no going back to regular Mac N Cheese. Some people use sour cream, which is also good, but mayonnaise is less tangy, which I prefer.

Three Cheese Blend Mac N Cheese Recipe

Ingredients

1-16 ounce bag of elbow Macaroni

11/2-Cups of Velveeta cubed

3-Cups of Monterey jack & cheddar blend finely shredded

3/4-Cup Sharp Cheddar(topping)

4-TBS. Mayonnaise

4-Large eggs

2-TBS. Salted Butter

11/2-Cup half & half

2-tsp Salt





Directions

In water with two teaspoons of salt boil macaroni until slightly soft (past al dente), strain and leave in covered pot. Making sure to beat the egg whites separately, add all remaining ingredients except the 3/4 cup of Sharp cheddar, to a pan on low heat. Stir until completely melted (add more half & half if needed). When nicely blended, pour macaroni into a 9x13 in baking dish, that has been sprayed with butter spray. Pour cheese mixture over the top, then top with the 3/4 cup of sharp cheddar and bake at 350 degree preheated oven for about 15 to 20 minutes or until slightly browned on top.

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