mac and cheese disaster

United States
July 27, 2010 5:19pm CST
I have tried a few times to make macaroni and cheese from scratch. It is always a bust. The cheese does not melt well and it is very dry. Does anyone have an easy recipe that I can try? I love home made mac and cheese and really want to be able to make this dish for my family.
2 people like this
5 responses
• Canada
14 Aug 10
You could make a simple roue to get the sauce started. Just blend flour and melted butter in a sauce pan, then slowly start adding milk, and cheese, stirring. You'll end up with a nice cheese sauce. My children love it.
• United States
16 Aug 10
That does sound simple. I will have to try it. Thanks!
@Suke002 (311)
• United States
27 Jul 10
Mac and cheese is easy! Get the good kinds of noodles though and to get a good rich taste to them you can try wheat noodles as well. Depending on how much you are making I won't include the exact measurements because I don't use them when I make it. You bake the pasta and pour it out into a strainer with a bowl underneath too catch the water and keep the noodles submersed so they won't clump together. Now after that pour some milk into the pot (turn the stove to low heat) pour enough to cover the bottom but not too mcuh (if it's not enough you can always add alittle more later). Now get some butter (country crock is what I use) and take a good clump (alot more then a tablespoon) (just use the same spoon you stirred the noodles with) and let it melt in with the milk. The milk should look yellow now and be melted. Take Velveeta (this brand of cheese is made to melt for cooking) and slice it into pieces to make it melt faster. Now stir until it is a bright orange liquid and it should be like the milk only slightly thick. Then you pour in the noodles and stir until the cheese covers it. And there you go! thick delicious mac and cheese from scratch! :)
1 person likes this
• United States
27 Jul 10
I never used velveeta for it before. I will have to try it that way next. Thanks!
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
27 Jul 10
It is very simple. You have to make a bechemel sauce first. That means, that you fry mince onions in a little butter, then mix in a little flour - about a tablespoon, then add milk about half a cup or so. I do not use measurements. Then grate in a couple a couple of cups or more of cheese - the sharper and older the better. Meanwhile you cook the macaroni and when it is done (8 mins or so) you mix the cheese sauce with the macaroni, put it in the oven at 350 degree with a topping of breadcrumbs on it. I do add some cayenne paper to mine. That is the basic recipe. You can also look on Allrecipes for old fashioned macaroni and cheese.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
28 Jul 10
It is really very simple, but called by the French name makes it sound hard. It is simply a roux made of butter and flour with milk mixed in.
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
18 Aug 10
Thanks for the best response. I tried it three different ways, one with a Mexican cheese brand and the other with Old Cheddar and Gruyere, and the other with Old Cheddar and some of the sharp chedder. The last two was because I ran out of the Old Cheddar but I think I will try it with Extra Old cheddar the next time.
• United States
27 Jul 10
I love it with breadcrumbs and cayenne. Sometimes I use papricka. The bechemel sauce seems like it might be hard to do. I will have to look it up. I love baked mac and cheese the most. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
1 person likes this
@pastigger (612)
• United States
27 Jul 10
I made this one year for thanksgiving, because I usually don't like the side now I have to make it all the time. I always double it so the size is already doubled 16 oz mac noodles 1 stick of butter 1 big velveeta (16 oz i believe it is the big box not the little one) 1 cup milk Make the mac noodles till you like them. While water is heating and noodles are cooking start cutting the velveeta into cubes. When pasta is done drain and return to pot. Add the butter and velveeta and milk. Now I put it back on the burner with the burner off or on a low heat. Start mixing, and mixing and mixing until cheese is melted. If the cheese is too thick add more milk. Depends on my mood to how much milk I use. When it is all melted and blended eat right away. If you can eat right away heat it back up and add more milk so it doesn't dry out. Now this recipie actually was for baked mac and cheese, if you want to do this then put in a 9x13 dish and back at 350 for 20 mins. I like it better before baked. The velveeta is the key and also the extra milk. Super creamy and good. Yummy now I am hungy.
• United States
27 Jul 10
I think my problem was that I didn't use velveeta. I bet it is better once I do that. Thanks!
• United States
28 Jul 10
Velveeta is really the key to this. I didn't think I would like it because I hate the Velveeta shells and cheese. But in this Velveeta is just perfect and very yummy. Just know that you will be stiring for a bit so it is best to find someone who likes to stir stuff, I have a brother in law that loves to stir things so it works out great. LOL =)
1 person likes this
• Jamaica
28 Jul 10
Here is a very easy macaroni and cheese recipe that you can try. If this seems like to much you can always use a a jar of cheese whiz and that can cut out a lot of the work, It also makes it easy if you want to do Stove Top. Ingredients : 1 (16 ounce) package fully cooked kielbasa sausage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1 (8 ounce) package elbow macaroni 1/3 cup butter 1 small onion, chopped 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 cups milk 1 (10 ounce) package sharp Cheddar cheese, cubed salt and ground black pepper to taste 1 cup dry bread crumbs, or more as needed Directions: Cook and stir the cut-up kielbasa in a large skillet over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, until heated through and beginning to brown. Remove the sausage from the skillet, and set aside. Fill a pan with lightly salted water, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stir in the macaroni, and return to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through but is still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain well. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Melt the butter in the skillet over medium-low heat, and cook and stir the chopped onion for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Whisk in the flour, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Cook and stir the butter, onion and flour for 2 to 3 minutes to make a roux, and remove from the heat. Whisk in the milk a little at a time, stirring constantly, until all the milk has been incorporated, and return to low heat. Bring the sauce to a simmer, and cook over low heat for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, to finish cooking the flour. Whisk in the Cheddar cheese, a few cubes at a time, until all the cheese has been incorporated and the sauce is hot and smooth. Pour the macaroni into the cheese sauce, and stir to combine. Stir in the cooked kielbasa, salt, and pepper. Spoon the macaroni mixture into the prepared baking dish, and sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top. Bake for about 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until the crumbs are brown and the casserole is bubbling. Let stand for 15 minutes after baking, to set before serving.