Four Cheese Macaroni
A very rich and creamy version of macaroni and cheese. This can be made any time of the year. My whole family loves it.
A very rich and creamy version of macaroni and cheese. This can be made any time of the year. My whole family loves it.
This is just great, but I do follow other's advice and omit the eggs and more than double up the mont. jack, cheddars and mozzerella (which I had on hand instead of muenster). I used 2 cups of 1/2 and 1/2 as well. I mix up the Velveeta cubes until they're melted and then mix in the shredded cheeses real well too, before adding in the rest. Also I bake for 17 minutes and then do some more mixing and then sprinkle the last of the cheese and butter on top for the remaining 17 or so minutes. That's the magic ticket for me.
Read MoreThis was alright mac and cheese, but for all the money we spent on cheese we expected something a whole lot cheesier. If we decide to make this again, which we are on the fence about, we would use cheeses with a bolder, stronger flavor to them and perhaps add some mustard powder and some hot sauce before poring it into the pan to make it a little less bland.
Read MoreThis is just great, but I do follow other's advice and omit the eggs and more than double up the mont. jack, cheddars and mozzerella (which I had on hand instead of muenster). I used 2 cups of 1/2 and 1/2 as well. I mix up the Velveeta cubes until they're melted and then mix in the shredded cheeses real well too, before adding in the rest. Also I bake for 17 minutes and then do some more mixing and then sprinkle the last of the cheese and butter on top for the remaining 17 or so minutes. That's the magic ticket for me.
This is an EXCELLENT, rich recipe. I made some changes. I doubled the recipe for a large group. I melted the butter in a pot on the stove, added the Velveeta cheese, then half the halfnhalf and half skim milk, then the schredded cheeses. I was continually stiring with a rubber spatula and slowly adding all the cheese. When it melted completely, I took it off the heat. Then I tempered the beaten eggs with some of the warm cheese mixture. I then added the elbows, s & p, beaten eggs and warm cheese mixture. Stirring. Then baked in a glass pan. I did not sprinkle cheese on top or dot with butter. Preparing it this way gives it a nice creamy consistancy. It was great. This is a great recipe for guests, but for everyday I still make the Down Home Macaroni and Cheese recipe from this site. Thanks.
YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM! WOW-thanks for the delicious recipe! I modified the recipe a bit per the other reviews: No eggs, 2 cups half-and-half, extra shredded cheese (I used about 2/3 cup of each of the four cheeses), no black pepper. I also modified the directions significantly (ONLY BAKED FOR 15 MINUTES TO AVOID THE "DRY-MAC", along with some other modifications!): Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Shred all 4 cheeses (not including the Velveta). Mix them together. Set aside. 3. Put half-and-half in a small pot. Add the cubed Velveta. Turn the stove on low and cook until the half-and-half is warm (not boiling) and the Velveta is melted. 4. Meanwhile, while you are waiting for the Velveta to melt, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 7 1/2 minutes, or until al dente; drain WELL and return to cooking pot. 5. Melt 8 Tablespoons (1 stick) butter in the microwave. Pour melted butter all over the hot noodles. Then pour the pot of half-and-half/Velveta in and stir. Then add ALL the shredded cheese and mix until well combined. Then salt to taste. 6. Melt remaining 2 Tablespoons butter in the microwave. Add some bread crumbs from a can to the butter. 7. Pour the Macaroni and Cheese into the baking dish. 8. Sprinkle the bread crumb/butter mixture over the top of the Macaroni and Cheese. 9. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees 10. THEN, broil for a couple of minutes until the bread crumbs are golden brown. Serve im
This is just a take on Patti LaBelle's recipe. If you use the original recipe (1/2 cup more half-and-half, and bring the cream to a boil and really make a true cheese sauce) you will not get the horrible consistency.
This recipe was fabulous...WITH a few minor modifications. After reading other reviews, I omitted the eggs, doubled the shredded cheeses, and used 2 C. Half & Half. Then... Cook macaroni until al dente. Return to cooking pot and mix with 1/4 C. butter. Set aside. Melt 1/4 C. butter in a saucepan. Stir in 1/4 C. flour. Gradually stir in 2 C. Half & Half. Cook, stirring constantly over medium heat, until sauce thickens. Stir in salt and pepper. Stir in cheeses. Cook, stirring constantly until cheeses are melted. Mix with macaroni and transfer to a lightly greased casserole dish. Top with some shredded cheese and 1 Tbs. butter. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cheeses on top are melted. This process helps give it a much creamier texture--like Stouffer's. YUM YUM!!!!!! :) ***UPDATE*** Although I enjoyed this recipe with the changes I made, I decided (despite my doubts and the opinions of other reviewers) to try following the original recipe, with the only change being doubling the cheeses. OH MY GOODNESS, my search for the ultimate mac & cheese ended there! It was the creamiest, gooiest, cheesiest mac & cheese I have ever had! I threw out all my other mac & cheese recipes and decided this will be the one my kids will grow up on. Delicious!
I made this Christmas Day - to my family's amazement-everything I made was superb. My son-in-law ate this and normally doesn't care for Mac and Cheese - doubled the recipe and still none leftover. I followed the suggestions of previous reviewers and omitted the eggs, melted all the cheeses in a sauce pan and then mixed with the pasta. Your family is in for the BEST mac and cheese they ever had with this recipe.
Excellent! I only used one egg because I like it creamy & cheesy, not fluffy. I served this to company and they loved it. It really makes a LARGE amount. You can add milk & reheat the next day.
I haven't tried this recipe but it is VERY similar to mine so I assume it's good 8-)) At any rate I use 5 cheeses instead of four. I use Muenster, Monterey Jack, KRAFT Shredded Mild Cheddar, KRAFT Shredded Sharp Cheddar and the kicker, VELVETTA. I buy the 16oz stick and use more than half. I cut the velvetta in small cubes. I also use 2 sticks of butter and 2 cups of half & half. In addition the basic recipe call for only a 1/2 cup of the cheeses however I use more. Which makes for a cheese, creamy mac n cheese. DELICIOUS! It is a hit everytime. I made it over a dozen times now and the prep time takes me less than 15 mins now. One more thing thats essential is to serve it HOT! Fresh out the oven. I made some last night with wild rice, fried chicken wings and cheese-brocoli, can you said YUMMMMMY! 8-)) Try it you would LOVE it!
This was very good... [Note: I probably shouldn't actually rate it, since I didn't follow the directions in any way, shape or form, but I used (most of) the same ingredients]. I used Monterey Jack, Sharp Cheddar, Mild Cheddar, and Fontina cheese. I melted butter in large saucepan over medium heat, then added half-and-half until very warm. I added the Velveeta until it was nearly completely melted, then included the rest of the cheeses, and added some garlic powder, ground mustard and paprika for some extra flavor. Next, I poured the creamy cheese mixture over the slightly cooked macaroni, added it to a greased casserole dish, and sprinkled with a mixture of plain bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. It was quite good, very rich and creamy. So thank you so much for the incredibly indulgent idea, though I won't make this very much due to the high fat and calorie content (much to husband's dismay)! ......................................... UPDATE: I made it this way the night before a work pot luck & my co-workers raved... even microwaved. The more cream & butter, the better!
This macaroni & cheese was absolutely phenominal! I got many raves! I did make a few changes though, following other peoples reviews. I used 8 TBLSP. of butter instead of 9. I melted the butter in a small saucepan, & then added 2 CUPS of half and half. I heated it through for a few minutes, & then added the cheeses, which I doubled, excluding the Velveeta. I only used 1 egg, and then tempered it into the cream/butter/cheese mixture. I then added salt & pepper to taste, 1/2 TSP dry mustard, & 1/2 TSP hot sauce. I stirred to combine, & then combined the cheese sauce with the macaroni. (I used shells.) I poured the macaroni & cheese into a baking dish, & sprinkled the top with orange cheddar, sharp white cheddar, & the remaining shredded cheeses I had left over from the cheese sauce. I sprinkled the top with parmesan/romano blend, & also topped it with melted butter & bread crumbs. It baked at 350 for 15 minutes, and was phenominal. I will definetley make this again.
This is a good recipe, but I didn't follow exactly. For one thing, I omitted the eggs since I like it creamy and eggs cause it to be more "firm." I used Havarti cheese, Kraft Four Cheese blend, Velvetta, and cheddar. I used more than the recipe called for. Also, I don't top it with the cheddar because when that cooks on top it doesn't stay creamy. The Havarti was so good in the mix that I am now assigned to bring Mac and Cheese to all family events.
First let me say that Patti LaBelle should be credited with this recipe; "Over the Rainbow Macaroni and Cheese" is in her cookbook. I've been making it - with some changes - for about 8 years and am now sort of famous for her recipe! I like a creamier consistency than the original recipe produces and I just couldn't use half and half! I make a white sauce (as another reviewer suggested) using whole or 2% milk, butter, flour, salt & pepper. Then I use more of the four real cheeses (not quite double the original amounts) and a little less Velveeta (Patti says you have to use Velveeta for the creamy texture!. After the white sauce has thickened, the cheeses are stirred in until melted; then stir into the cooked macaroni and bake until bubbling. If I'm feeling very retro, I top it with crushed corn flakes or bread crumbs tossed with a little melted butter (just like the 60s!). Or, you could just sprinkle more cheese on the top. Fabulous recipe! I promise you will be a legend! Just remember to give Patti some of the credit!
The BEST!! I have tried all kinds of recipies, and cook for a Mac & Cheese aficionado who agrees this one is the best, I have made several variations including a no-bake, and a "grown-up" version with chicken, bacon and onions, but no matter what you do YOU NEED THE EGGS!!! Having left them out on accident once, believe me they are worth the effort (just make sure you get them well mixed before they begin to cook) and they will keep the dish from getting hard and gelatinous as it cools, and help with the creamy texture as well. I also recommend the munster as it adds a sofisticated tase (not overpowering). I have decided that my favorite way to cook it (with or without baking) is to mix all the ingredients together (minus the macaroni) in a sauce pan to ensure proper melting of the cheeses then pouring over the noodles. That seems to yield the best texture and creamyness! This is also when I fold in sauted chicken, bacon and onions for the "grown-up version (more of a main dish than a side dish). Peppers work too!
I've been making this recipe for years for my family for Christmas Dinner. May I say, all these changes have complicated this dish!!. In it's original form it's simple and delish!! Just cook up the pasta elDente!! Drain. Melt 1 stick of butter into pasta. Mix 4oz each freshley shredded cheddar, monterey jack, mozzarella (good quality NO CHEAP CHEESE here. IF you don't use good quality cheese you won't have good mac n cheese). Cube up 8 ox Veleveeta. Mix cheeses into pasta coated w/butter. Beat up 4 eggs in separate bowl. Add 2 C 1/2 n 1/2. Fold into pasta. Pour into buttered casserole. Bake 350 deg. for 30 min or until hot and bubbly!! Don't mess w/this recipe. Tip: Can be made ahead and refrigerated until baked, but it will be a little drier due to pasta soaking up some of the liquids.
This is much like my family recipe, we always layered it in a huge bowl instead of mixing it up. We never use processed cheese, we never considered it real cheese. We have used all kinds of cheese, usually the left over cheese tray after the Holidays makes a great feast. We always add a little dry mustard to bring out the taste of the cheese and we add Lawry's season salt to add to the taste. It is our family comfort food and if you know anyone on chemo, it really tends to settle well when they don't feel good. My Mom lived on it through two fights with breast cancer. It is a great food!!!
Absolutely the best mac and cheese ever, and the recipe couldn't be simpler. We used a little more cheese (about 3/4 cup of each) and it came out perfect.
This is a sinfully good mac & cheese. So creamy and flavorful - love it. The only thing I added was panko Italian seasoned bread crumbs coated with a little melted butter. The crumbs really added a nice touch. Great recipe! Thanks.
This is what I have been making for 2 years at every holiday meal my family has. I made a few changes: 3/4 cup of the 4 cheeses instead of 1/2, 2 cups of half-and-half instead of 1 1/2 and only used 1 egg instead of 2. I add the beaten egg to the macaroni noodles with the butter, heated the half-and-half in a large pot over low heat, add the processed cheese until melted and then add the 4 cheeses until all is melted. I then poured the macaroni into the cheese mixture, mixed it all up and poured it in my casserold dish. I only bake it for 20-25 minutes. It is awesome and since I only bake it 3 or 4 times a year, I don't feel so guilty for going back for seconds (okay, thirds).
This was alright mac and cheese, but for all the money we spent on cheese we expected something a whole lot cheesier. If we decide to make this again, which we are on the fence about, we would use cheeses with a bolder, stronger flavor to them and perhaps add some mustard powder and some hot sauce before poring it into the pan to make it a little less bland.
I HAVE BEEN MARRIED 25 YEARS AND MY HUSBAND SAID I CAN FINALLY MAKE MACARONI AND CHEESE. HE ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT! AS SUGGESTED BY OTHERS I INCREASED THE VELVEETA CHEESE TO 16 OUNCES AND INCREASED HALF AND HALF TO 2 CUPS. GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We loved this. I did make a few changes, but kept the process the same. I skipped the eggs. I've used them before and didn't quite like the texture. I did like that this recipe doesn't make a roux (I like mine cheesey and not too creamy) Also skipped the cheese food and salt. Used heavy cream. Used cheddar, monterey jack, havarti and applewood smoked gruyere. Also threw some bread crumbs on top, but prepared it otherwise the same.
Okay, I followed the ingredients exactly except did not use the eggs and only used 4 TBS of butter.. I warmed the half and half in a saucepan and added all the cheese and butter. I warmed on Medium heat until smooth. I then added to the cooked pasta and tasted it! OMG it was great. But the directions said to put in the oven so I did. FAIL! Thats when the fats from the cheese separated and the pasta dried out. (I cover the pan with foil even). SO long story short, cook pasta and add the cheese/creamy mixture and eat. THEN it would be 5 stars!
I can't figure out what all the rave reviews are about. I made this recipe exactly as written and was unimpressed. Not enough cheese to pasta ratio. Maybe doubling the cheese would help. The flavor wasn't bad, but my 3 year old who loves macaroni and cheese wouldn't eat this. It wasn't creamy like mac n' cheese should be, it was dry. I was looking for a recipe that was better than the one I have used for years and this is not it. I think the best base for mac n' cheese is a roux made into a cheese sauce. I will keep searching for an ultimate macaroni and cheese recipe.
definately an winner! Made this twice in two days for social get-togethers. Like most others, changed the recipe a bit. Used one egg, 2 cups of half and half, all cheddar was sharp cheddar and increased cheddar by 1/2 cup. Heated half and half in sauce pan then added processed cheese, stirring until melted. Then added the shredded cheese and the egg. Kept stiring until creamy and mostly melted. Poured egg/cheese/milk mixture onto melted butter noodles, completely mixed all and poured into baking dish.
Mmmmmmm ~ ! After several failed attempts at delicious homemade mac and cheese, I'v finally found it. Heated 1/2 stick of butter with 2 cups 1/2 and 1/2. Salt and pepper.. Then added the Velveeta to make a nice creamy sauce. Puured over noodles and shredded cheeses. Stirred in a 1/4 C. light sour cream. No eggs. Topped with more shred ched, french fried onions and paprika. Then baked. Soooo creamy & indulgent but worth it! Make this special treat for the ones you love!! =)
Made this recipe on a rainy cool day (comfort food), and my family adored it. Warm, comforting, good tasting and super easy to make. I added cracker crumbs and Parmesan cheese on the top with a bit of melted butter and it came out great. This recipe will be saved and used many times again!
My boyfriend said that this was the best macaroni and cheese he's ever had! I changed the following: 2 cups half and half, 1/2 a cup of milk, 1 1/2 sticks of butter. I just used the cheese I had on hand, about half a stick of Velveeta, 1 cup of colby jack and 1 cup of Amish Bleu cheese. I added a small white onion to the butter and sauteed it for a minute before adding the macaroni. Half way through cooking I took it out of the oven, mixed if up to make sure the cheese was fully incorporated and then added a breadcrumb topping of plain bread crumbs, olive oil and garlic salt. I cooked it a bit longer than listed to make sure it was nice and crisp on the top! It was AMAZING!! I'm making this for my boyfriend's family reunion this year.
Liked the idea of the different cheeses, but was leary about the baking method. I stuck to my old standby to ensure a creamy cheese sauce. I made a roux, added the half and half, some seasonings including dry mustard, stirred until thickened, turned off the heat and then added my cheeses. I didn't measure the cheese, but I used much more than stated. I used fontina instead of the muenster and replaced asiago for one of the cheddars. Wasn't quite sure what purpose the eggs served so I left those out. I then melted a few tablespoons of butter in my skillet and mixed in panko crumbs to top off my casserole. Again, the various types of cheese is what drew me to this dish and it was a really nice change from my usual cheddar only recipe. Thanks Kim!
This recipe had so many great reviews, so I decided to give it a shot. Of course on this website I've been trained to read all reviewer's suggestions for an optimum dish. I don't understand why anyone would give this recipe five stars WHEN NO ONE ACTUALLY USED THE RECIPE. Every review had a different story, different modifications, so I decided to try and follow the original recipe with the ONLY common modification of doubling cheeses and half-and-half. The result was horrendous! The cheese was chunky (BAD!! consistency) and almost overbearing, no one liked it at all. :( Just macaroni in a fattening and chunky mystery sauce...
Sorry, but this recipe isn't quite right for some reason. I don't know if it's the eggs or lack of starting with a roux, or what. Good point is that it's really rich. And the bad is the egg, not enough cheese taste, and it was very bland. I would make homemade mac 'n cheese again, but I'll keep searching for another recipe.
I made this for Christmas dinner and got rave reviews from the family. Like others I only did one egg so it would not be to dry. I also added two tablespoons of dry mustard and used heavy whipping cream since I was out of half and half. I did not have all the cheeses so I just doubled up on some to replace what I did not have. My husband said this is the best mac and cheese he ever had, so I will be making this again and again.
You have to remember, because of pasturization on cheese now, it's not like the 50's and 6o's when it was real and you never heard of cheese foods. The cheese will develope small clumps for the oil that is in it. No way around it. Learn to add more liquid than the recipe calls for and you will come out with a better product.
This recipe was great. It is exactly like Patti Labelle's famous recipe for macaroni and cheese. Like Patti, a variation can be made if no half & half is used. When she omits the half & half, she subsitutes milk, but uses 2 sticks of butter instead. This is the way I did it, but doubled the recipe. The next time, I will add more spices, more seasoned salt and garlic powder for addl flavor. Very good recipe, the only one I will use from now on. Thanks for submitting.
This is the best Mac and Cheese - it's basically a copycat of Patty Labelle's Over the Rainbow Mac and Cheese.
This was very very good! I made a few changes based on what I had. I used sharp cheddar, pepper jack, and mozzarella, all of which i upped the amount on. Also as others suggested, i didn't use eggs. Here what I did: cook noodles to al dente, strain and put into separate bowl. Mix noodles with melted butter. In large sauce pan, add cream and warm. Add "velveeta" and melt. Once melted, add other cheese slowly until melted. Add noodles and some cooked, chopped hot italian sausage & chopped jalepenos (wanted a meaty, spicy dish!). Spread in baking dish, bake 17 minutes, stir, sprinkle with cheese, and bake for another 17. YUM.
If you add 1 cup of Velveeta/processed cheese, the recipe is perfect. This is the same as Patty LaBelle's Over The Rainbow Mac & Cheese recipe. I've been making it for years.
This was so good! I used milk because I didn't have half & half. I didn't use vegetable oil or drizzle mac & cheese with a tablespoon of butter. I added 1/4 tsp minced garlic & 1/2 tsp minced onion. I didn't have sharp cheddar so I used medium cheddar. I combined all the cheese, milk, eggs, & spices in the baking dish. Then stirred in the cooked noodles & baked for 1/2 hr. Will definitely make again & would serve this dish to company, however double the recipe because my family ate the whole thing!
Great recipe IF modified. I recently made it for an early Thanksgiving dinner party and everyone loved it, no leftovers! I warmed 2 cups of half and half and butter, then addded Velveeta cheese. Once melted, I then stirred in 1 teaspoon dry mustard, and 1 teaspoon paprika along with the s&p. These spices give it a nice deep taste to the dish. Then add the shredded cheeses and melt it all together. I poured it onto a pound of rotini pasta (the spirals are good at holding in sauce, and i prefer the texture) and stirred it all together. Topped with some shredded sharp cheddar and baked it for ~20 minutes. Very rich and delcious!
made this as an "experiment" for Thanksgiving (i know bad timing!) but I was plesantly surprised! it was so rich and creamy without that "store bought" taste. LOVE LOVE LOVE IT! Everyone raved! I am no longer allowed to buy "instant"...
I changed this recipe too, with much better results. Left out the eggs, and made a cheese sauce by heating the half-and-half (I used whole milk instead) with about a tablespoon of flour until smooth and beginning to thicken. Add 8 ounces of sharp cheddar, 8 ounces of jack or mozerella, and 8 ounces of american or velveeta cheese. Stir on low heat until cheese is melted and sauce smooth. Mix with the macaroni and bake.
Made this recipe for Christmas last year and it was such a hit I was asked to make it again for this year's holiday dinner. I did not change the recipe. We will be using it as a family holiday staple dish for years to come.
I love this recipe. Took advice from other reviews. Omit eggs. Double the cheese. Also 10 minutes is too long to boil the pasta to have it be al dente. Make sure not to over cook it or everything will come out too mushy. I hate leftovers normally, but I love these leftovers.
I was a little disappointed. Not very creamy and was pretty dry. I followed the recipe exactly.
I made this earlier today and it's wonderful. I omitted the butter and left everything as is. Nice and creamy, and it's great as leftovers. The calorie count is high, so solve the problem by not eating it every day (and review it AFTER trying the recipe). :)
One word can describe this recipe: YUMMY! But I altered the recipe a bit: left out the eggs, DOUBLED the real cheeses, used LARGE elbow macaroni instead of small, and used Mozzerella instead of Muenster. Everyone loved this recipe, and it made more then enough. To reheat, we added a little bit more milk, or it would of dried out. This was SOO rich, it was *ALMOST* too much. This is a big no no for you dieters! Thanks for the great recipe!
Like a reviewer before me (Linda) I was nervous about the cooking method. So, instead I sauted some onions with a little white wine, made a roux, added my milk (I used canned evaporated instead. It's got a nice creamy flavour). I then added my cheese (Aged Cheddar, Imperial, Monteraty Jack, and Havarty) and let them all melt in. I didn't measure anything, just eyeballed it all. I then added my cooked pasta to that, put it in a baking dish, and sprinkled it with Parm before baking it for about 25 mins. Turned out very nice in the end. :)
EXCELLENT! I used all sharp cheddar rather than regular cheddar and sharp. I made a cheese sauce by heating up the half and half and melting the cheese into it. After I made the cheese sauce, I tempered the eggs into it (in the egg bowl, I slowly added a little of the hot mixture at a time, acclimating the eggs to the heat so that they wouldn't scramble). I put the noodles in the baking dish and mixed in the cheese sauce. Since I made this the night before Thanksgiving, I put it in the fridge and the next day, I took it out and let it get to room temperature, added some more cheese on top as a crust and baked as directed. EVERYONE raved about it and I think we found our new mac and cheese recipe!
This is the few recipes I make no changes to. I've been making it for a couple of years and it is always a big hit.
I have made this recipe several times now. Everyone that has tried it, loves it. It is creamy and delicious. I omit the eggs and use 2 cups of half and half. Heat the half and half, add Velveeta and stir until melted, add shredded cheeses and stir until melted. Pour melted butter over cooked macaroni, add cheese mixture, stir. Pour into glass baking dish, add crumbled Ritz crackers to 2 tbs butter and sprinkle over top. Bake for 15 minutes. Excellent!!
This is really rich, decadent, and yummy mac n cheese. I have made this a few times now with other reviewers suggestions; 1/2 cup extra 1/2 and 1/2, no eggs, and adding extra cheese plus some paprika. It's always delicious. I've baked it as well as cooked it in a slowcooker for Easter and another party. I followed the recipe and steps in order as usual but just threw it in the crockpot on high for two hours. I always toss my shredded cheese with a little bit of flour and I haven't had any of the consistancy issues. Crowd pleaser and great recipe!
I followed Patti Labelle's recipe (off of the Oprah website), which means I used 1/2 c. extra half-and-half. It was totally delicious. I made it on Christmas Eve and baked it for 15 minutes, then covered and cooled and refrigerated it overnight. I then baked it for 30 minutes on Christmas day, and it was a hit. Very fattening and creamy and delish. I used Jane's Krazy mixed up salt instead of plain salt. I let all the cheeses (including Velveeta) melt before moving on to the next addition (i.e. eggs, salt, pepper). I will definitely be making this recipe again. I didn't notice any weird texture issues.
I went straight from the recipe above with only 3 minor changes…1) I double it all because I need more. 2) I used pasta other than elbow macaroni (because I wanted the effect of longer tubes) but it was still macaroni-ish. 3) I replaced the regular cheddar with Colby because I wanted the leftovers for cubes. ? Bottom line…Except for the Colby I really didn’t deviate from the main recipe’s intent for texture and flavor and it was awesome! Yes I did have some dryness issues, but not from lack of liquid, what dried was any pasta that was exposed without sauce so I will either cover or stir once or twice next time. I’ll also cut the cubes much smaller so I can spread them out more evenly and make an effort to pack it all in with no pasta sticking out, something I couldn’t do with my extended curly tubes. Try this recipe as-is once folks, you won’t be disappointed. When you double JUST the cheese you alter the consistency and also the cost! …it didn’t need it. [Review #2] I made this a second time as-as for all ingredients although doubled EVERYTHING again. I baked it in my slow cooker crock in the oven so I could just toss it in the slow cooker the next day to reheat and it came out of the over awesome. Next day in the SC however was not as good..it separated..so next time it's fresh out of the over or nothing!
I made this for a family party and it was a big hit with both kids and adults. I did feel a little guilty for serving this dish because it is not exactly a healthy recipe and I even reduced the amount of half and half and butter. It was very tasty, though. Just not the kind of food you would want to eat on a regular basis. I'll be exercising all week to undo this damage...
Was delicious!! Brought it to my friends birthday party and everyone loved it. I cut up Veggie dogs (tofu franks) and baked them in it. Very good!
Delicious recipe! My family loved it. I substituted Muenster with another cheese because I couldn't find Muenster. Very creamy and decadent (not to be eaten everyday lol).
This was okay, but I like the "Macaroni and Cheese with Caramelized Onions and Bacon" a LOT better. This one seemed bland in comparison.
Way to much cheese!!! We could only eat a small amount and ended up throwing most of it away. Next time I will cut the cheese in half and leave out the velvetta completly.
incredibly creamy and delicious recipe. i did as others did and added almost 2c half&half, but i heated it on very low heat first and added the velveeta cubes to the liquid so it could start to melt. i then added that to the penne (no elbows at the store)/butter mixture, and stirred till the velveeta was just started to melt into the pasta. added about 2-2.5c shredded cheese, eggs, garkuc salt and pepper, then baked for about 20 minutes and broiled the cheese on top to get a nice crispy coating. delicious! and everyone at thanksgiving dinner loved it
This was the best mac and cheese I have ever had. I made it for a dinner party and everyone raved! I did take the suggestions and doubled the cheese (not the cheese food), omited the eggs and used 2C of half and half- it was perfect!
Very good flavor, even my "box baby" loved it - the first night. The leftovers are not as great. I may make this again, but still searching for the perfect homemade mac-n-cheese. Thanks for the recipe!
sadly disappointed.. I wanted a change from my vamped up over the rainbow mac & cheese so I tried this because of the high rating.. very bland and it still was cake like even w/o the eggs.. It's too bad, I had high hopes for this.
This was very good. I did as others suggested and omitted the eggs to keep the creaminess.
Finally a homemade mac and cheese worth making! Macaroni and cheese has been my favorite food for years, and I have tried countless recipes, always feeling disappointed. I travel long distances frequently to go to Noodles & Company to get their mac and cheese because I've never found a replacement. This is it! Kids loved it - I loved it - potluck guests loved it. The only changes I made was that I increased the half and half to 2 cups and omitted the eggs and baked for only 15 minutes. I like CREAMY mac and cheese, not cakey, which has been my primary complaint with other recipes. I have to say, though that next time I will either not bake it, or I will undercook the noodles. Baking turned the noodles mushy, not affecting the taste, but it made it seem more mushy rather than creamy. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Bravo!! I love a good mild cheesy macaroni. This was all of those things. I made it twice in one week. The second time I added some crushed crackers on top for added crunch.
I made this for my daughter's birthday...everyone loved it! I did, however, double all of the cheeses except the velveeta.
The BEST macaroni and cheese! I've used different combinations of cheeses- all have been wonderful.Don't forget to stir part way through. Another note, I think this is more than 6 servings- seems to go a long way!
its 5 stars with my additions... first, 86 the eggs and the velveeta. second: 1.5 cups sharp cheddar, 1.5 cups white cheese mix (mozzerella, provolone, monteray), 1.5 cups mozz and cheese mix. popped in the oven for 17 min, pulled out and cracked black pepper, added topping portion of cheese with breadcurumbs, and no butter. and after another 17 min, broiled for 2 min. boyfriend will thank you.
I make this all the time and it's fantastic! There are several required modifications, which is why I put it at a four stars: (1) Use 4 Tbsp max of butter when first mixing with the pasta, 9 is overkill (2) Use 1 cup mozz, 2 cups cheddar/jack blend, 1 cup sharp cheddar for the shredded mix, only add 3 cups of this to start with (3) Omit Eggs (4) Halfway through baking, remove the dish and mix up to better combine the melted Velveeta and shredded cheeses. Then add the remaining 1 cup of shredded mixture on top to give some crunch to the top layer.
WOW!! I followed the recipe as written with few minor exceptions. I doubled all of the cheeses, added an extra 1/2 cup half and half, used shell pasta instead of elbow and also added in some strips of chicken breast. This is THE best mac and cheese EVER! ***TIP*** I stirred this every 10 minutes throughout the cook time. That really helped get the cheeses mixed well and kept the noodles on top from drying out.
I modified the recipe adding bacon bits and using different cheeses, but this was a HIT!!! I took in to my company Picnic lunch and it flew! Only thing I would prefer it more creamy, so less eggs. Either way it was delish! :)
This is another one of my holiday regulars! I use this recipe every year. I did make some changes....I use mozzerella instead of muenster (I never use muenster!) and omit the egg (I don't see the need for it). The first time I made it I found it a bit dry, so I add a little more liquid ingredients. I like my macoroni creamy.
Good macaroni and cheese, was easy to make. I don't know how much of a difference all the different cheeses makes though. I only used Munster, jack and sharp chedder. I think the reason I will keep the recipe around though is it was so easy to make. Really quick too.
I have been trying to duplicate my grandmothers recipe for years. This is sooo close. I did skip the eggs Since I was just cooking for myself this week I only used 10 oz of macaroni but all the cheese called for. Ahh I love cheese!!! This was gooey cheesy goodness. Thanks so much for sharing this.
Love this rich recipe. This is the 2nd time I've made it. I did increase my cheese mixture to a cup of each and about 11 ounces of velveeta. I also used about 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne to zap it up a bit. I think evaporated milk would work as well as 1/2&1/2. It's raining on Maui today (hard) and I am serving this with my bacon wrapped meatloaf and steamed vegis. Oh the fat!!!! Thanks for this great recipe.
Made it for the first time tonight and followed the directions that Kimzee posted under the comments. Added a few dashes of paprika and dehydrated onion on top of that. Everyone raved about how good it was. Thanks for a great recipe
Very good. I did make some changes per other reviews. Left out the egg. Melted the Velveeta cheese in saucepan, mixed all the shredded cheese in a large bowl, adding shredded cheeses to the melted Velveeta until melted, then added the 1/2 and 1/2 until the mixture was smooth (using 2 full cups). I added the melted butter to the noodles, then added the cheese with salt and pepper and topped with planko. Cooked for 30 minutes, everyone enjoyed the dish. It had a nice smooth and creamy sauce that stuck to the noodles but wasn't too thick or too runny. A+++
With modifications this rates 5 stars. As others suggested I doubled the cheeses, used philadephia cream cheese instead of Velveeda, used aged extra sharpe cheddar and tomato basil cheddar, a mixture of monterey jack, pepper jack and mozzerella and just a bit of grated fontina cheese. I also used Farfelle pasta instead of elbow macaroni. Left out the eggs and added a teaspoon of dejon mustard, an 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg (always add this to my custards for cheese dishes) and 1/4 teaspoon of white pepper. Used 2 cups half and half and a quarter cup of evaporated milk. I made a topping with a half cup of the grated cheese mixture and then topped it with seasoned Chrispy Panko bread crumbs mixed with grated parmesan cheese. Baked for 20 minutes. Now this was yummy, creamy and delish!
This is DELICIOUS!!!! I did add extra cheese and half and half as others suggested and it worked well. This recipe makes WAY more then 6 servings, I have two tupperwares full of it right now. My boyfriend isn't really a mac and cheese fan and he loved it and kept picking at it even after dinner. Thanks for the great recipe!!
This was good but I made some revisions after reading other's reviews. I added an extra 1/2 cup of half and half and about 8 oz of sour cream to keep it from drying out. I also added some onion powder to the mix and crushed potato chips to the top.
Awesome! I even tried making this using all "low-fat" ingredients. I used only 3 tablespoons of butter, all 2% shredded cheeses, low-fat processed cheese food, and egg substitute. It was still fantastic and the boys never new I was trying to cut some of the fat!
Baked mac n cheese is a dream and can not be compared to the box stuff. I have made this a few times and now I have made a permanent alteration to the recipe: breadcrumbs. After the mac n cheese is in the dish, I sprinkle enough bread crumbs to cover the surface and I do not top it with the remaining butter. So good. Sometimes I have been without processed cheese food, but it still turns out great. I just compensate with more shredded cheese and enough half and half for the cheese sauce to be nice and creamy.
Incredibly delicious! I omitted the egg only, just because I was out. The sauce was creamy without being to thick or too runny. This was seriously the BEST MACARONI & CHEESE I EVER ATE!!! :)
I LOVE THIS RECIPE!!! Now this is comfort food!!! I took the recommendations of others and omitted the egg. I also melted the cheeses slowly into the half and half and butter first, then poured over the pasta. I then added a bread crumbs and parmesean cheese mixture over the top and then baked in the oven. Oh, and I also seared ham chunks and added it into the whole mixture. It was a huge hit at a potluck with requests for the recipe. I will be definitely making this again.
I made this Mac & Cheese for a potluck lunch at work and my coworkers loved it. The recipe was followed exactly as written, which resulted in a nice and cheesy M&C. I will definitely be using this recipe again and again. Thanks for sharing!
I made this for thanksgiving this year was sooooo good. Made it for 9 people everyone went back for seconds. Was a big hit this year. Made a few changes to recipe, used one egg.
I love this recipe. I omit the processed cheese food and add pepperoni to it. It's a big hit at my household.
Not good at all. I have made baked mac and cheese many times and this is my least favorite.
Wow! This was great. The muenster cheese added just the right note of pungency. And actually, this does reheat just fine; you just have to stir a bit of milk in because macaroni has a tendency to dry out. Also, for the BEST macaroni, use the jumbo macaroni, not the regular size. I don't know why that makes a difference, but it does.
I have made this recipe a few times and it is always a hit! I do add some more 1/2 and 1/2 and cheese, but that's it. I do NOT omit the eggs. For those of you that do, I would say give it a try once, you might be surprised. I will sometimes add a crushed butter cracker topping. Very nice on it. This is definitely not a low fat recipe, but I am sure modifications could be made to lower the fat content. For me and my family when we want to treat ourselves or splurge we go for the full on fat recipe! HA!
Very rich and creamy! I love mac and cheese, even from the box. But this is nothing like box mac and cheese. Total comfort food
This recipe was great. I don't know why but I filled up almost two cassarole dishes. I learned a trick a couple years ago for macaroni dishes. I cook the macaroni up per the box directions and then I let it soak in cold water for a couple hours or even overnight. The macaroni soaks up more water and does not get any more done. You never end up with a "dry" recipe. When it was done I added a layer of valveta to the top of it to finish it off. I imagine you could use which ever cheese you like the most.
I tried this with whole wheat pasta and assorted grated cheeses. I think that it would've been better with regular, white pasta. Also, I think that Velveeta should've been part of the recipe.
I made this for some friends who brought their 3 year old son over. I though, what kid doesn't like Macaroni? And I was right! It was a total hit. the 5 of us ate 3/4 of the pan that night. I did change a few things though. I omitted the egg like some of the other reviews suggested and used 2 cups of half and half instead of 1 1/2 cups. I also used 4 cups of shredded cheese total, a combination of sharp and mild cheddar and monteray jack. I also used the whole 16 oz of processed cheese. 1/2 of the block I cubed and mixed in with the noodles and the other 1/2 i cut into slices and laid on top once the noodles were poured into the pan. On top of the processed cheese slices, I put a layer of provolone cheese (about 6 slices) and then the final layer of remaining shredded cheese. I can't say enough how great it came out. Golden brown and bubbly. My husband said this one is a keeper and I can make it any time I want :-) Thanks for the hit recipe I'll be making this for years to come.
This was a GREAT recipe - although I did make a few changes....as I'm sure we all do :) I left out the eggs and vegetable oil. I also used just sharp cheddar & monterey jack since that is what I had on hand. I just eyeballed the salt and pepper and added some cayenne pepper, which really gave it a nice kick. Will definitely make again!
Super Yummy!! Diubled it and made for a potluck and everyone loved it!! Easy to modify if you like to cook! You can sub any type of shredded cheese and add stuff to this! Thanks for sharing! Great satisfying recipe!
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