Mac and Cheese Recipe

Our Mac and Cheese Recipe was pretty much a staple coming close in popularity to pepperoni pizza for our kids growing up. This recipe does take a little time but it is well worth the effort. You can serve this as a main dish or side dish at kids parties. It is a great dish for sleep overs too. I have taken this to end of year high school golf team get togethers and it disappears every time. I think the best compliment I received was from one of my daughter's friends who said she never eats mac and cheese but she loved this recipe. This rich and creamy mac and cheese recipe is one of our family favorites. This makes a great side or main dish for little ones.

Ingredients for Mac and Cheese Recipe

• 3 cups elbow macaroni
• 5 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 cup Muenster Cheese
• 1 cup mild Cheddar Cheese
• 1 cup sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 1 cup Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 10 slices of Velveeta Cheese (I place all 10 slices together and slice into squares or strips for easier melting)
• 2 cups of half and half
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper (optional) I don't add these but it was on the original recipe given to me)

Materials

• Large Bowl to mix the shredded cheeses together
• Cheese Shredder
• Large Pot to boil macaroni
• Colander to drain cooked macaroni
• Casserole baking dish 3-quart rectangle casserole dish: Measures approximately 12″ L x 9″ W x 2″ H.
• Pam to spray the casserole dish

Steps

• Boil water in a large pot and add cook three cups of elbow macaroni 8-10 minutes until al dente as directed on box.
• In a large bowl, combine the Muenster cheese, mild and sharp Cheddar cheeses, Monterey Jack cheese, and mix well.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)
• When macaroni is al dente, pour into colander to drain water, return to the pot.
• Put butter or margarine into the pot you just boiled the macaroni in and stir until melted.
• Melt the butter and stir into the macaroni.
• Add Velveeta strips and gently stir until melted. I leave heat on (warm) the very lowest setting to speed this up.
• Add the half and half and 3 cups of the cheese mixture. Mix together.
• Transfer to a lightly greased casserole dish. Sprinkle the remainder of the cheese evenly on top.
Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until hot and bubbling around the edges.
• Let cool for 5 minutes and then serve. It will be very hot!

Tips

• Block cheese melts better than shredded. Shredded cheese is coated The additives you'll find in shredded cheese may include the following:
1. Potato starch: It is the starch from potatoes, and it's washed out and dried. It can be used as an anti-clumping agent in shredded cheese.
2. Powdered cellulose: It serves many of the same purposes as potato starch. Cellulose is often combined with potato starch because even though it can be more effective than potato starch, it has a bit of a color that can show up on food.
3. Natamycin: An anti-mold agent that's sprayed on the cheese.

• Switch out the cheese to ones you prefer. We sometimes use just whatever we have on hand. We have used Provolone, Swiss, Gruyere, and White Cheddar. We have also used mozzarella but it can be a little stringy like a fried mozzarella stick.

Freezing Mac and Cheese

You can freeze mac and cheese with good results, but you do have to take a little more care to freeze it properly.

• Cool portion(s) in the refrigerator before freezing. If you put your casserole warm in the freezer you may get a lot of extra liquid from condensation making the pasta mushy. Wrap your pieces in a layer of foil and place it in an air tight container or even better, in a sealed or partially vacuumed sealed bag.
• Mac and cheese can be frozen for up to three months. After that, the taste can change.

To Thaw the Mac and Cheese

• To thaw, take the frozen macaroni and cheese out of the freezer and place it in the refrigerator. Depending on the size of your pieces, it can take several hours or up to overnight to thaw completely. If the mac and cheese is frozen in a microwave-safe container, you can use your microwave for thawing. Stir periodically, as the edges of the casserole will thaw more quickly than the center. Do not thaw your casserole on the counter at room temperature, as this can potentially cause a food safety issue.
• When the mac and cheese is thawed, reheat baked mac and cheese in the microwave, or in the oven or toaster oven. Time will depend on the size of your casserole. If you heat it in the microwave, it may draw out some of the oils. We prefer to bake in the toaster oven. If it seems a little dry after reheating add a little milk.