The Macaroni & Cheese
Gourmet
If
you're looking for a launching pad for learning to cook, there can be no
better starting place than the old standby, Macaroni & Cheese. While
it's something that most of us consider not "real cooking" it is
actually an excellent jumping off place.
Once you learn some basic skills by
doctoring your Mac 'n' Cheese, you'll be ready to take off on your own!
You can use just about any brand of
commercially available macaroni & cheese for these recipes.
A few notes about
cooking pasta
Pasta generally cooks
best at a full boil in LOTS of lightly salted water. This means that for
preparing a standard sized box of macaroni & cheese, you should use a
large saucepan (at least 3 quarts – larger is better) filled 2/3 of the
way full.
-
Bring 2 quarts of
water to a full boil (set the burner on high) and add a teaspoon or
so of salt.
-
DO NOT ADD BUTTER OR
OIL TO THE WATER, this will coat the macaroni and keep the sauce
from sticking to the noodles.
-
Add your macaroni
and stir briefly to ensure that the noodles aren’t sticking to the
bottom or to each other; do not reduce the heat.
-
Cook at a full
rolling boil until noodles are soft but not mushy. (8-10 minutes)
The exact cooking time will vary depending on your altitude, and the
exact thickness of the noodles.
-
When noodles are
cooked, pour into colander or strainer to drain.
Macaroni Normandy
Ingredients
1 package macaroni &
cheese
1-cup milk
1 Tbsp Butter
½ tsp onion powder
1 pound package frozen
broccoli Normandy (broccoli, carrots & cauliflower)
2 Tbsp water
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Prepare macaroni as per
the instructions above. As the macaroni is cooking, place frozen
vegetables in microwave safe dish with 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and
microwave for 4-5 minutes until vegetables are tender. As the macaroni
is draining combine butter, milk, onion powder and contents of cheese
packet in your saucepan on low heat. Stir until butter is completely
melted and contents of cheese packet are completely dissolved. Drain
excess liquid from vegetables. Combine vegetables, noodles and cheese
sauce in saucepan and stir. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let sit 5
minutes covered before serving.
Macaroni Pesto
Ingredients
2 packages macaroni &
cheese
1 medium onion diced
3 Tbsp Olive oil
2 tsp garlic powder
1 can (14.5 oz) diced
tomatoes
1-6 oz jar of your
favorite pesto sauce
1 cup grated parmesan
cheese
Directions
Prepare noodles as per
instructions above. As noodles are cooking sauté onion in olive oil
until it is clear and soft. Add garlic powder and tomatoes and simmer 10
minutes. Add contents of cheese packages and pesto. Stir and simmer 5
minutes. When noodles have cooked and drained, coat lightly with 1 Tbsp
olive oil. Serve sauce over noodles and sprinkle with grated parmesan.
Macaroni Alfredo
with Sea Scallops
Ingredients
2 packages macaroni &
cheese
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 med onion diced
1 pound sea scallops
1 tsp garlic powder
1-16 oz jar Alfredo sauce
1 cup grated parmesan
cheese
Directions
Prepare noodles as per
instructions above. As noodles are cooking sauté onion in olive oil
until it is clear and soft. Add sea scallops and garlic powder and
simmer 10 minutes until scallops are white (not clear). Add Alfredo
sauce and contents of cheese packages and simmer additional 10 minutes.
When noodles have cooked and drained, coat lightly with 1 Tbsp olive
oil. Serve sauce over noodles and sprinkle with grated parmesan.
Fiesta Mac
Ingredients
1 package macaroni &
cheese
1 cup milk
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp Olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 can (15 oz) cooked
corn, drained
1 can (15 oz) diced
tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) pinto
beans, drained
1 small can diced green
chilies (3 oz)
2 cups grated cheese
(cheddar, jack or Colby)
Directions
Prepare macaroni & cheese
as per directions on box. In large skillet sauté onion in olive oil.
When onion is clear and soft add corn, tomatoes, beans and chilies. Stir
and simmer 10-15 minutes. Add 1 cup grated cheese, and the mac & cheese.
Stir and let sit 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle remaining cheese on
top before serving.
Macaroni
Enchilada Bake
Ingredients
1 package macaroni &
cheese
1/4 cup milk
2 Tbsp butter
1 can (15 oz) enchilada
sauce (red chili sauce)
1 can (5 oz) chunk
chicken
2 cups grated cheese
(cheddar, jack or Colby)
1 small onion, finely
diced
Directions
Prepare macaroni & cheese
as per directions on box. Pour half the enchilada sauce into bottom of
greased baking dish. Mix the remaining half of the enchilada sauce with
the chunk chicken and mash thoroughly so that chicken is shredded. Layer
mac & cheese, chicken & sauce mixture and grated cheese in baking dish.
Sprinkle with diced onions. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
Macaroni Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients
1 package macaroni &
cheese
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 medium onion
1 can (14.5 oz) diced
tomatoes
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp basil
2 chicken breasts,
skinned, boned and cubed
1 cup grated parmesan
cheese
Directions
Prepare noodles as per
directions above. As noodles are cooking sauté onion in olive oil until
it is clear and soft. Add cubed chicken and cook 10-15 minutes stirring
frequently, until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Add tomatoes, contents
of cheese package, garlic and basil and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in
macaroni and ½ of the parmesan cheese. Place in greased baking dish and
sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
Macaroni
Florentine
Ingredients
2 packages Mac & Cheese
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
2 cups milk
½ tsp onion powder
1 dash Worcestershire
sauce
1 dash hot sauce
1 pound frozen spinach
(defrosted)
Directions
Prepare noodles as per
instructions above. Melt butter and blend in flour slowly over low heat
for 3-5 minutes. Add milk, contents of cheese package, onion powder,
Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Stir with wire whisk and cook 20
minutes. Add spinach and noodles. Stir and cook 5-10 more minutes.
Spicy Pepper
Macaroni
Ingredients
2 packages Mac & cheese
1 medium onion, diced
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper,
diced
1 can (14.5 oz) diced
tomatoes
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp basil
cayenne pepper to taste
(1-2 dashes)
1 cup grated parmesan
Directions
Prepare noodles as per
instructions above. While noodles are cooking sauté onion and peppers in
olive oil until onion is clear. Add garlic powder, basil, cayenne,
contents of the cheese packages and tomatoes. Simmer 10-15 minutes.
Serve sauce over noodles, sprinkle with grated parmesan.
Macaroni
Stroganoff
Ingredients
2 packages Mac & cheese
2 Tbsb Butter
1 medium onion, diced
½ pound mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp chives
1 tsp garlic powder
2 cups sour cream
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp cooking sherry
salt & pepper to taste
Directions
Prepare noodles as per
instructions above. As noodles are cooking sauté onion in olive oil
until it is clear and soft. Add mushrooms, chives garlic, salt and
pepper and sauté 10 minutes. Add sour cream, soy sauce, sherry and
contents of cheese packages. Stir ingredients well and cook an
additional 5 minutes. Serve over noodles.
Macaroni Eggplant
Marinara
Ingredients
2 packages Mac & cheese
1 medium onion
1 small eggplant, cubed
4 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 can (6 oz) black
olives, sliced
1 can (14.5 oz) diced
tomatoes
2 Tbsp basil
1 Tbsp Oregano
1 Tsp garlic powder
1 cup grated parmesan
Directions
Cook noodles as per
instructions above. While noodles are cooking sauté onion and eggplant
in olive oil. The eggplant will absorb just about as much oil as you
give it, so proceed with caution. When onion is clear and soft and
eggplant cubes are soft all the way through, add basil, oregano, garlic
powder, contents of cheese packages, olives and tomatoes. Simmer 10
minutes. Serve sauce over noodles. Sprinkle with grated parmesan.
Pizza Mac Bake
Ingredients
1 package Mac & cheese
1//2 cup milk
2 Tbsp butter
1 jar pizza sauce
2 cups grated mozzarella
cheese
pizza toppings of choice
(pepperoni, sliced olives, mushrooms etc.)
Directions
Prepare macaroni & cheese
as per directions on box, adding ½ cup milk instead of the usual ¼ cup.
Place mac & cheese in greased baking pan. Layer pizza sauce mozzarella
and pizza toppings. Bake 25 minutes at 350 degrees.
Macaroni Taco Bake
Ingredients
1 package macaroni &
cheese
¼ cup milk
2 Tbsp Butter
1 pound ground beef
2 Tbsp chili pepper
2 cups grated cheese
(cheddar, jack or Colby)
1 cup diced tomatoes
(fresh)
2 cups shredded lettuce
sour cream
Directions
Prepare mac & cheese as per directions
on box. While noodles are cooking brown hamburger with chili powder.
Layer mac & cheese, fully cooked seasoned hamburger and cheese in a
greased baking dish. Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from oven,
cool for 5-10 minutes. Serve topped with lettuce, tomatoes and a dollop
of sour cream.
Mac & Pesto Salad
Ingredients
2 packages Mac & cheese
1 jar (6 oz) of your
favorite pesto sauce
1 can (6 oz) black
olives, sliced
1 cup finely chopped
broccoli florets
1 red bell pepper finely
chopped
Directions
Prepare noodles as per instructions
above. Drain noodles and combine all ingredients (including the cheese
packets) in large mixing bowl. Chill at least 1 hour before serving. |