The texture of the cheese sauce was not smooth enough to rate a "4." I would describe the sauce as gritty.
My 21 year old daughter is very hard to place when it comes to mac and cheese - and she loved it. I will definitely use this as a base recipe again (and again). Even though I added a number of spices, the base recipe definitely carried the day and was responsible (along with the Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar) for the excellent outcome. None of those flavors ended up identifiable in the end result, but all added to the overall flavor. In addition, I used probably 6 shakes of the Worcestershire sauce and another 6 shakes of Franks Red Hot sauce. But I also added the following: 1/4 tsp ground mustard, 1/4 tsp half sharp paprika, 1/4 tsp sweet paprika, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper, 1/4 tsp onion powder, 1/8 tsp cayenne, and a few twists of grated nutmeg. I probably used roughtly 1/3 of the requested salt (since I'd cut the recipe in half, I used maybe 1/3 tsp of salt). I used Cabot's Seriously Sharp Cheddar, along with probably twice as much imported parmesan as specified, along with a bit of imported gruyere. I confess that I used this as a base recipe - and that I cut if roughly in half (and we ate half of what I made). He had painful diahhrea for the next 3 weeks as a result of eating this rich, sloppy mess of cheesy goodness! I ate half the pan, and my blood pressure monitor was triggered, so I fed the rest to my dog, and he loved it! He loved it on the way in, at least. You are an irresponsible pet parent if you allowed your dog to eat mac and cheese and suffer from painful diarrheaįour forks for this extraterrestrial delight of a macaroni and cheese recipe! My tastebuds were a-tingling the second I laid my eyes on this crumbly mess! My mouthhole knew what was in store for it : PURE JOY. Recipe is great BUT MATTLEVISWANSON FROM MY OWN BUTT / I'd make it again with the aforementioned additions, but wouldn't recommend using the original recipe. I don't get the 4 star ratings on this one when you have to make so many adjustments to the original recipe. I didn't use the pasta water and used other reviewers suggestions of adding dry mustard, paprika, cayenne pepper and worchestershire sauce to give it better flavor. As others have said, the serving size of 10 is inaccurate as a main dish (maybe as a side, but pushing it). And, by cooking the dish in the cheese sauce pan you save on clean up! If you drop the pasta into boiling water as you start the cheese sauce they will be done about the same time. Then, make the cheese sauce in a saucepan that can go in the oven (like a Le Creuset) and just dump the pasta into the cheese sauce. 4 recipe, which works out to 8 oz cheddar. The only wierd thing about it is that it makes a huge quantity and calls for an odd quantity of cheddar - 1.25 lbs or some such - a package size not sold. I first saved this 8 years ago and have been making it ever since.
This was a stanard mac n cheese not a WOW mac n cheese. I'll have to continue the search for the ultimate mac n cheese. My friends gasped when they took their first bite. Took a tip from Netflix’s “High on the Hog,” and boiled the noodles in 3 parts milk/cream, 2 parts chicken broth, and 1 part water. Bake, uncovered, until the cheese sauce is bubbling and the panko topping is browned, 20 to 25 minutes.Excellent recipe. Sprinkle an even layer of the panko topping over the casserole. Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in a small microwave-safe bowl in the microwave, then mix in the panko and stir to combine.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese all over the top. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish or pan.Stir in 1 cup of each cheese, ham (if using), mustard, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until the cheese sauce is fully combined. Continue to whisk the sauce for 1 more minute, then remove it from the heat. Gradually pour in the hot milk and bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly. Whisk in the flour to form a thick paste and cook, whisking occasionally, until the aroma of the mixture is more nutty than floury, 2 to 3 minutes. In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Heat the milk, either in the microwave or in a small saucepan on the stove, until it’s hot but not boiling. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, for two minutes less than the package recommends for al dente (you’ll finish cooking it in the oven). Grease an 8x8-inch glass or ceramic baking dish or metal baking pan with butter or cooking spray.