Welcome back for another "3 Ways to..." post with my friend Jenn from Our Grand Life!
To say I was nervous when Jenn proposed a cooking post is an understatement. I am the girl who barely knows her way around the kitchen, but here's the thing, I DO know my way around a good Mac & Cheese. Today, I'm sharing three recipes for delicious non-Kraft Mac & Cheese.
So take it from me, a real Mac & Cheese connoisseur, these are goooood :)
Salsa Mac & Cheese
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of elbow macaroni
- 1 1/2 cups pepper jack cheese
- 2 cups cheddar cheese
- 3 cups milk
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup salsa
Directions:
- In a medium pot, start boiling water to cook the elbow macaroni. Add pasta when it reaches boiling.
- In a saucepan, melt the butter on medium heat. Add the salt and flour, stirring until the mixture is light brown.
- Add the milk and whisk until it's smooth. Let the mixture boil, then reduce heat and let the sauce thicken.
- Assuming the elbow macaroni is cooked, drain and let sit.
- Add the cheese to the sauce, mixing while the cheese melts.
- Add the cheesy sauce and the salsa to the macaroni and stir.
Note: this recipe will make a lot of sauce, so if you don't like a very creamy Mac & Cheese, don't add the entire sauce mixture to the macaroni.
Grilled Cheese Mac & Cheese
Ingredients:
- 1 cups of elbow macaroni
- 2 cups cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 loaf of bread
- butter to butter the bread for the grilled cheese
Directions:
- In a medium pot, start boiling water to cook the elbow macaroni. Add pasta when it reaches boiling.
- In a saucepan, melt the butter on medium heat. Add the salt and flour, stirring until the mixture is light brown.
- Add the milk and whisk until it's smooth. Let the mixture boil, then reduce heat and let the sauce thicken.
- Assuming the elbow macaroni is cooked, drain and let sit.
- Add the cheese to the sauce, mixing while the cheese melts.
- Add 3/4 of the cheese sauce to the macaroni and stir - set aside the other 1/4 of the cheese sauce.
- Butter one side of your bread (homemade bread tastes the best!) and place in skillet.
- Spoon a small portion of the cheese sauce onto the bread (to bond the macaroni to the bread)
- Add the cheesy macaroni, and place a second piece of bread on top of the macaroni, buttered side up.
- Cook like regular grilled cheese, but be careful when flipping it!
Note: this recipe will make a lot of sauce, so if you don't like a very creamy Mac & Cheese, don't add the entire sauce mixture to the macaroni.
Baked Mac & Cheese
Ingredients:
- 1 12 oz box of rotini macaroni
- 1 egg
- 2 cups milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 1/2 cups cheddar cheese
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a 2 quart baking dish.
- In a medium pot, start boiling water to cook the rotini noodles. Add pasta when it reaches boiling.
- Let the pasta cook for about 5 minutes (you only want it partially cooked before baking).
- Whisk the egg and milk together. Add in the melted butter and cheese. Mix really well.
- Assuming the rotini macaroni is cooked, drain and let sit.
- Pour the macaroni into the baking dish, followed by the cheese mixture. Stir really well.
- Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, pull out of the oven and stir again. Sprinkle a cheddar cheese on top.
- Bake for an additional 10-20 minutes, or until the cheese on top is golden brown.
Don't forget to stop over to see Jenn's three awesome sweet potato recipes!
(You can see all of our "3 Ways to..." posts by following the tag at the bottom of the post.)
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