My mom made some concoction when I was young, not exactly a mac'n cheese but rather a creamy noodle casserole that consisted of tuna, peas, and condensed cream of mushroom soup.
As kids, my big brother and I lapped that shit up.
I'm not sure how closely I want to recreate something like that - sensibilities change - but I do want to use up some good extra sharp white cheddar and some roughly grated "Grand Ewe" sheep's milk aged Dutch Gouda that's been sitting in the fridge too long already.
I have on hand already well sauteed sliced mushrooms, a crimini and Shitake blend, Campbell's condensed Cream of Mushroom soup, frozen petite peas, plenty of canned tuna, and most other "regular" cheeses one might employ in a Mac n Cheese style dish: (grated parm-pecirino blend, ricotta, Jarlsberg, plain cream cheese, etc.)
I have a frozen ready cleaned seafood mix from TJ's if I thought a "Lobster Mac n Cheese" analog was the thing to do.
Also a few types of pasta suitable for casseroles.
Anyone have an iconic family recipe to share? Or some recent twist on the classic from Sunset or Bon Appetit?
TIA
Now its instant pot the macaroni with some chicken broth and seasonings, then dump in a can of evaporated milk and grated cheddar, grated jack plus some chunks of velveeta and then call it a day. Cool thing is that it takes about 15 minutes total, but how lazy is that?
Although sometimes, I add cajun seasonings, fried andouille, and crawfish tails and diced canned tomatoes just to mix things up.
Elbow Macaroni
Bachamel Sauce with 50/50 Gruyere and Sharp Cheddar
Cracked Black Pepper
Bake with more grated Cheddar on top.
Can't beat it, doesn't need anything else.
Now its instant pot the macaroni with some chicken broth and seasonings, then dump in a can of evaporated milk and grated cheddar, grated jack plus some chunks of velveeta and then call it a day. Cool thing is that it takes about 15 minutes total, but how lazy is that?
Although sometimes, I add cajun seasonings, fried andouille, and crawfish tails and diced canned tomatoes just to mix things up.
Bill you didn't say it directly, but it's questionable indeed if the entire labor intensive process of a bechamel based Mac n Cheese is truly worth the effort.
Compared to something like Fettuccine Alfredo. And either one can absorb things like julienne ham, sausage, sliced shrooms, peas...
Paglia e fieno is like that.
Elbow Macaroni
Bachamel Sauce with 50/50 Gruyere and Sharp Cheddar
Cracked Black Pepper
Bake with more grated Cheddar on top.
Can't beat it, doesn't need anything else.
Well that's the classic right there with a great cheese blend...
Cheese mix depends on the mood/what's in the fridge, but pretty much anything that will melt nicely into the bechamel. For the pasta, I always go with fusilli. Just a preference.
Mix Gouda, cheddar and shredded parm
Mix all together with elbows. Into the smoker for one hour.
Delicious!!!
And it's not just having the bacon added - which would be fine, but cooking it with the bacon just adds so much flavor.
It's practically the only way my kids will eat it.
She's also done it with diced kielbasa which I also enjoy, but the bacon is much better.
Traditional is fine, one of many people's favorite comfort foods, but I like it with bacon best.
I have found that if you add a little cream cheese into what ever liquid dairy you use, it helps hold whatever cheese you want to use without breaking, without using a béchamel.
One of my girls didn't care for the taste of parmesan and pecorino that I'd use in Alfredo, so for her I adapted the recipe for "Alfredo" to Israeli style Alfredo, by simply melting/stirring fresh creamy goat cheese into it, instead of parm or pecorino.
She loved it prepared that way.
One of my girls didn't care for the taste of parmesan and pecorino that I'd use in Alfredo, so for her I adapted the recipe for "Alfredo" to Israeli style Alfredo, by simply melting/stirring fresh creamy goat cheese into it, instead of parm or pecorino.
She loved it prepared that way.
It sounds really good, may have to try it when I eat pasta again!
Elbow Macaroni
Bachamel Sauce with 50/50 Gruyere and Sharp Cheddar
Cracked Black Pepper
Bake with more grated Cheddar on top.
Can't beat it, doesn't need anything else.
With uconn on this one.
Mac and cheese is like a grilled cheese, when you start adding berries and caviar it becomes something else entirely.
that was funny
Also make sure you add a nice dark lager beer into the bechamel sauce.
Gold.
I'd like to hear the answer on this one too. Thats enough cheese sauce for, I'm estimating 4 oz of cheese pet serving, 30+ portions. So at least 6# of macaroni?
Really a once a year type of dish for me now, but so delicious!!
Traditional mac and cheese pairs well with a hint of tangy bbq sauce and pulled pork.
I just have to give some props to BigBlueShock for this classic dumbfuck BBI response, which naturally and expectedly was the very first one to my query.
Why was it a BBI classic response? Let me count the ways...
1) it doesn't in the least answer the query in the OP which generally asked for folks' favorite Mac n Cheese mix ins...
2) it aims to be a sort of "correction" or teaching point from a person who's a relative ignoramus in the field of the OP (cooking) to a post from someone who's an expert in the field of cooking, has "skins on the wall" from both a long experienced culinary and wine professional career.
3) it's smarmy in tone.
4) it involved almost zero effort, and certainly not a whiff of actual research to write up.
Bravo, well done, kudos.
And for my own "laziness" in posting the query here rather than just making a Google search for <tuna noodle mushroom casserole> a 3 second search of just those key words returned as the 3rd or 4th option a recipe, the most highly rated recipe reviewed on Google with a flat 5.0 star rating, the recipe linked below.
Which in fact combines the classic tuna noodle casserole recipe with two cups of grated cheddar cheese, making it EXACTLY a combo of tuna noodle casserole and Mac n Cheese!
5 stars tuna noodle Mac n cheese hybrid recipe from Food.com - ( New Window )
That sounds very simply delicious, thanks.
Quote:
Was Tuna Casserole. That is nothing like Mac and Cheese
I just have to give some props to BigBlueShock for this classic dumbfuck BBI response, which naturally and expectedly was the very first one to my query.
Why was it a BBI classic response? Let me count the ways...
1) it doesn't in the least answer the query in the OP which generally asked for folks' favorite Mac n Cheese mix ins...
2) it aims to be a sort of "correction" or teaching point from a person who's a relative ignoramus in the field of the OP (cooking) to a post from someone who's an expert in the field of cooking, has "skins on the wall" from both a long experienced culinary and wine professional career.
3) it's smarmy in tone.
4) it involved almost zero effort, and certainly not a whiff of actual research to write up.
Bravo, well done, kudos.
And for my own "laziness" in posting the query here rather than just making a Google search for <tuna noodle mushroom casserole> a 3 second search of just those key words returned as the 3rd or 4th option a recipe, the most highly rated recipe reviewed on Google with a flat 5.0 star rating, the recipe linked below.
Which in fact combines the classic tuna noodle casserole recipe with two cups of grated cheddar cheese, making it EXACTLY a combo of tuna noodle casserole and Mac n Cheese!
5 stars tuna noodle Mac n cheese hybrid recipe from Food.com - ( New Window )
You spent an awful lot of energy to respond to what was clearly a fucking joke. And to think, it only took you 4 days to do the research and put that incredible post together. Embarrassing.
Not sure why you took my post so personal, but you can fuck off. Your sensitivities are not my problem. Now, spend the next 4 days preparing your response...I can’t wait. Hopefully it’s better than your last response. Clown.
At any rate, I’m sorry you were so offended by my post. 4 days later. I’ll try to remember how sensitive to are in the future.
Hey that recipe I linked, the tuna casserole with grated cheddar, has a 5 star rating. Some folks apparently like it.
And put the "expert" of my food expertise in quotes...
Out of memory and the use of the iterative process, I can make a great Hollandaise sauce (or it's cousin Bernaise). Better than any you will ever taste in your life, most likely, because lots of professional chefs don't know the key to a great, as opposed to merely good, Hollandaise.
Out of memory... And I haven't actually made a Hollandaise sauce in at least 30 years.
You're dumber than I assumed even.
But thanks for everything. Without your wit I "wouldn't have known" to Google the phrase "Tuna Noodle Casserole".
ROTFLMAO.
Sometimes a response takes a while because, as one might guess, it wasn't worthy of immediate attention. Try that on your pea brain.
Now its instant pot the macaroni with some chicken broth and seasonings, then dump in a can of evaporated milk and grated cheddar, grated jack plus some chunks of velveeta and then call it a day. Cool thing is that it takes about 15 minutes total, but how lazy is that?
Although sometimes, I add cajun seasonings, fried andouille, and crawfish tails and diced canned tomatoes just to mix things up.
We are even lazier (mostly make it for kids) but literally just strain the noodles and add shredded cheddar/butter and mix. Will occasionally mix in some milk/parm too. Still comes out great.
No one questioned what ever expertise level you wish to claim. You could have taught Escoffier, Julia Child and Jacques Pepin all they know and dismissed Gordon Ramsey from your kitchen ...that post was either a mis understanding or a mis-communication.
PS: just quietly and humbly and helpfully show people what you know about cooking...dont declare it. The first declares expertise and the second announces insecurity
No one questioned what ever expertise level you wish to claim. You could have taught Escoffier, Julia Child and Jacques Pepin all they know and dismissed Gordon Ramsey from your kitchen ...that post was either a mis understanding or a mis-communication.
Well said
PS: just quietly and humbly and helpfully show people what you know about cooking...dont declare it. The first declares expertise and the second announces insecurity
Especially when several fine suggestions followed, like bacon or chili peppers, it would make far more sense to have let it slide.
Sometimes I like behaving poorly. It's an acquired trait.
Please always remember that people call out habits and traits they dont like about themselves.
How else could they so easily recognize it when they see it? Why else would they get annoyed?
(Because its a failure they have in common and cant see it or correct it in themselves????)
Oddly, most of us see things in what others write or say and live our whole lives never realizing the old incredibly great Pogo line:
"We have finally met the real enemy. And he is us"
Take care Blue Lou
Thx
Hey that recipe I linked, the tuna casserole with grated cheddar, has a 5 star rating. Some folks apparently like it.
Prisoners...
Thx
Use whole melted unsalted butter, not clarified butter. Most recipes call for clarified butter, which makes a more stable but less tasty sauce with a more mayonnaise like texture. Those milk solids and water make a heckuva difference.
So glad you asked, Googs.
Quote:
Hey that recipe I linked, the tuna casserole with grated cheddar, has a 5 star rating. Some folks apparently like it.
Prisoners...
Federal prisoners. I doubt state prisons allow internet access to their patrons.
Quote:
what is this secret please between great and just good Hollandaise?
Thx
Use whole melted unsalted butter, not clarified butter. Most recipes call for clarified butter, which makes a more stable but less tasty sauce with a more mayonnaise like texture. Those milk solids and water make a heckuva difference.
So glad you asked, Googs.
Not googs but thanks. Btw - my wife uses regular unsalted butter as well so not sure a secret.