Anybody who knows me would tell you that I love Mac & Cheese; definitely in my top 5 favorite dishes. Believe it or not there is not much to it! Most recipes I found go a little overboard but after a couple of versions here is my Foolproof recipe.
Macaroni and Cheese
1 pound of macaroni
5 tablespoons of butter
½ cup all purpose flour
6 cups of milk
3 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons of salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Fix time: about 40 minutes.
Feeds: 6-8 hungry people.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook and drain pasta.
In a sauce pan melt butter over medium heat. Add flour, stirring constantly to make the roux, and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the milk and cook for 7 minutes, or until mixture thickens. Add the cheese and salt and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese melts. Remove from heat.
Combine cooked pasta with the cheese sauce in a baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Foolproof Fix
Roux: This is the most important step in this recipe so pay attention and be patient! What is a roux?
Pasta: Under cook the pasta (just a little) since it will cook longer in the oven.
Measurements: Do not skimp on any of the above ingredients. The ratio is everything in this recipe.
Milk: Heat the milk before adding to the roux, it will thicken much quicker and give you better results. You can heat it up in the microwave or on the stove but don't let it come to a boil, just a simmer.
Fantastic Fixings
Pasta: Switch it up! Any short dry pasta would work here.
Cheese: My favorite alteration to this recipe is substituting cheddar with gruyere (a lot pricier but worth it) or mozzarella or any combination of the 3. Just make sure to have 3 ½ cups of shredded cheese.
Milk: Whole milk is the best option here (skim milk is no good...this is comfort food not diet food). For extra richness try replacing 1-3 of the cups of milk with whipping cream.
Flavor: My mom always adds a pinch of nutmeg to anything with cream and it works especially well here. A tablespoon or two of Dijon mustard will also add great flavor to the cheese sauce. Of course, for those who want an extra kick go for the hot sauce.
Additions: For a crusty topping combine 1 cup of breadcrumbs, ¼ of a cup chopped parsley, ¼ of a cup of grated parmesan cheese, salt and pepper in a bowl and sprinkle over the mac and cheese before baking.
Funds Factor
1 pound of macaroni - $.99
5 tablespoons of butter - $4.29 for 4 qrtrs (Every one's got some butter!)
½ cup all purpose flour - $1.19 for a 2lb bag
6 cups of milk - $1.79 for 1 quart
3 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese - $10.00 for 2 16 oz bags
Recipe can be made for as little as $18.26.
** Based on DC prices. Taxes not included.
Welcome
Finding a basic recipe has become almost impossible. Once you settle for a recipe, you most likely do not have time to test it. What if your dinner party is tomorrow? What if the recipe is no good? What if the measurements are wrong? Do you really have to buy $20 vanilla extract? What if you don’t like mushrooms?
Here is your solution! Foolproof Food is your resource to recipes that will not let you down. All the recipes posted have been tested. All the dirty work has been done for you. We will provide the ingredient cost breakdown for all the recipes – this will show you when you can be cheap and when you must splurge. We will also let you know what steps and ingredients are a must and when you can be creative. Best of all you can even request recipes and we will foolproof them for you!
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