Email to Bones      

Recipe Categories: billk54's HOME PAGEAPPETIZERS Appetizers_2 BBQ BEVERAGES Beverages_2 Biscuits BREAD Bread_2 Bread_3 BREAKFAST Breakfast_2 Breakfast_Fruit CAKESandPIES Cakes_Pies_4 Cakes_Pies_6 Cakes__Pies_2 Cakes__Pies_3 Cake_Pies_5 CANDY CASSEROLES Casseroles_2 Chicken Chicken_2 Chicken_Wings Chinese Christmas Christmas_2 COOKIES Cookies_2 Cookies_3 CookingTerms Cooking_Tips Cookout CROCKPOT Crockpot_2 DESSERTS Desserts_2 Desserts_3 DIABETIC Dips Doughnuts EasterBread EGGS ETHNIC FISHandSEAFOOD FoodSubstitutes FROSTINGS Gelato Gifts_in_a_Jar Italian Italian_2 JAMSandJELLIES LOWFAT Magic_Bullet_Recipes MARINADES Measurements MEATS Meats_2 Misc Pampered_Chef_Recipes PASTA PASTASALAD PASTRIES Pastry_Crusts Pickles PIZZA Potatoes POULTRY RICE SALADandDRESSING Salads_Dressings_2 SANDWICHES SAUCES Seasining SNACKS SOUPSandSTEWS Spreads Stuffing Trifle VEGETABLES

The Zen of Macaroni and Cheese




Source of Recipe


Internet


List of Ingredients




The key to a truly exquisite macaroni and cheese pie is sharp cheddar cheese, a slow oven and a Pyrex cooking dish. You might as well make that stuff out of a box if you want to use mild or medium cheddar cheese.

By a slow oven I mean cooking around 325-350 degrees. Too hot and all the juices don't have time to get to know each other. You have to let the cheeses melt together real pretty. My friend since childhood, Brady Hair of North Charleston, has been known to stare at a big of plate of Sweatman's barbeque and swear it's so beautiful he can't decide whether to eat it or smear it over his face. A well-prepared macaroni and cheese brings out similar emotions in me.

Start with an 8 oz package of small elbow macaroni. The big noodles are, well, too big. Pour into a pot of salted boiling water to which you've added a little bit of vegetable oil so the macaroni doesn't stick together. Cook till tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from water and drain.

In a large mixing bowl, mix three eggs with a little salt and as much pepper as you can stand. That's a taste thing best left to the cook. I recommend adding some salt, around a half of teaspoon. Remember, the cheese will have some salt in it and you can't remove the pepper once it's in. If you're on a diet, either cook something else or don't add any extra salt at this point, but do not under any circumstances use that “healthy” fat-free cheese you can buy in the store these days. Good tasting stuff requires fat and salt. Otherwise, it won't taste good. It's that simple.

Cube about 12 oz. of sharp cheddar cheese into 1/2 inch square cubes. DO NOT USE GRATED CHEDDAR CHEESE AT THIS POINT! Throw the cheddar cheese cubes in the mixing bowl along with half a 12 oz bag of grated (yes, grated) Monterey jack cheese. Mix in the cooked macaroni. Stir it well. Then add in about 3/4 of a cup of milk. Stir all of this together. Add enough milk to soak everything if needed, but not too much.

Grease a long, Pyrex glass cooking pan with butter. Pour in your mix and sprinkle the top with grated sharp cheddar cheese and the remainder of the Monterey jack cheese. Dot the top with butter.

Now place it in the oven. This will need to cook about 45 minutes or until the cheese on top starts to brown a little. You should be able the see the casserole start to brown a little on the bottom side through the glass pan

Take it out and touch the top. It should be slightly firm (and hot, so be careful). Let it set for 10 minutes and serve. People will spontaneously start singing "Amazing Grace."


Recipe