

Mac and Cheese with Ham: Add diced ham along with the pasta, and green peas near the end to warm. Lobster Mac and Cheese: Stir in cooked lobster and top with toasted breadcrumbs.Ĭhili Mac and Cheese: Simply stir in a classic chili. If you want to transform Macaroni and Cheese from a side dish into a complete dinner, try one of these options: Reheating: If you have leftovers, add a bit of water or milk, cover and reheat in a low oven. Spices: Mustard, cayenne, and nutmeg are classic choices, as are garlic or smoked paprika. If you need to let the casserole warm for a while, then you might want to try this approach instead.

Note: America’s Test Kitchen’s Slow Cooker Revolution takes a completely different approach for slow cooker macaroni and cheese, using evaporated milk, canned cheese soup, and water to make a sauce. Either way, the sauce is still edible and tasty. A few sources suggest a bit of lemon juice. But if your sauce breaks or curdles, try stirring in more milk or half-and-half to improve the texture. Pasta: It is fine to substitute other shapes of pasta in place of elbow macaroni, try Conchiglie shells or Cavatappi.ĭairy: The creamy half-and-half adds extra fat which helps keep the cheese sauce from breaking. The Pioneer Woman’s Macaroni and Cheese suggests a combination of Cheddar and Fontina. Place lid on top and cook on low until the pasta is tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Then pour in the milk and heavy cream and give the mixture a stir. Put the sliced butter, cream cheese, salt and pepper on top. Some people say using Monterey Jack makes a creamier sauce. Add the uncooked noodles to the bottom of the crock pot. While the pasta cooks in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cheese soup, eggs and milk. Cook the pasta 6 to 7 minutes, not completely done. Stir to prevent the pasta from sticking together. Ina Garten’s Mac and Cheese calls for Cheddar and Gruyere.Īlton Brown’s Macaroni and Cheese uses Monterey Jack and Cheddar. Once the water is rapidly boiling, add about a half a teaspoon of kosher salt to the water along with the elbow macaroni. Note, you really should grate your own cheese. Well, with a little tweaking, I found the perfect mix of ingredients. With thousands of Mac and Cheese recipes on the internet, it’s almost impossible to know which one to try.

of cheese, so use more cheese if desired. If you love Mac and Cheese, then you will love cooking it in a slow cooker Using your slow cooker is the best way to make recipes easy and delicious Let’s face it. The best mac and cheese recipes call for a ratio of approximately 8 oz. Toast a few minutes until golden brown and crisp.Ĭheeses: Try other cheeses in place of some of the Cheddar to find the flavor and consistency that you prefer. To make toasted breadcrumbs: In a small skillet over medium-high heat, heat a few tablespoons olive oil or butter, add about 1 cup fresh bread crumbs or Panko, season with salt and pepper. Cooking NotesĪ pound of pasta makes a lot of macaroni and cheese, but the recipe is easily halved. Adapted from NYT Cooking’s 5-star Creamy Macaroni and Cheese.
