FANCY MAC AND CHEESE

 Macaroni and Cheese Ingredients: 

1/2 French loaf 

1Tbsp butter to grease pan 

1 cup butter 

1lb elbow macaroni 

1/4 lb pre-cooked bacon

5 cups of half & half 

1/2 cup all purpose flour (slightly packed) 

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne 

8oz extra sharp yellow cheddar 

8oz sharp white cheddar 

6oz cream cheese 

8oz parmesan cheese 

2 bunches of scallion (white and pale green parts only) 

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 375. Use tbsp butter to grease the casserole dish and set aside 

2. Cut and cube the bread into 1 inch cubes. Put in a large bowl. Melt 1/2 cup of butter and pour butter all over cubed bread. Toss the breadcrumbs to spread butter evenly and set aside.

 3. Get two bowls to separate the cheeses in half. Cut the 8oz of yellow cheddar in half. Shred and put half in one bowl and half in the other (4oz of cheese in each bowl). Do the same with the white cheddar and the parmesan. 

4. Slice the 2 bunches of scallions. 

5. Boil 6 quarts of salted water in a large pot. Cook macaroni until the outside is cooked and inside is slightly underdone (about 5-6 minutes). Drain and rinse macaroni with cool water and set aside covered.

6. Warm the 5 cups of half & half in a medium saucepan over medium heat. 

7. In a large stock pot, melt 4oz butter (1/2 cup) over medium heat. Then add !/2 cup of slightly packed flour to the pot and whisk constantly until slightly thick and smooth. 

8. Take the warmed half & half and pour it into the butter-flour mixture all at once while whisking constantly. Cook over medium-low until thick and begins to boil. (The mixture should coat the back of the your spoon generously) 

9. Add the 1/2 tsp pepper and 1/4 tsp cayenne to the mixture. 

10. Take a handful of scallions and set it aside, while putting the remaining in the mixture. 

11. Take one of the bowls of cheese and add to the warm white sauce, stir well. 

12. Then fold in the 6oz of cream cheese and 1/4 lb of bacon until fully combined. 

13. Stir macaroni into the sauce. 

14. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish; top with the leftover bowl of cheese and the handful of leftover scallions. Add bread cubes evenly over the surface of the macaroni and cheese. 

15. Bake until golden brown and bubbling—about 30 minutes. 

Recipe from Marisa G.... Worth the effort!!

Cheese Straws

BEGIN AT LEAST 2 HOURS AHEAD

2 cups room temperature SHARP cheddar cheese (or 1 8-oz brick, grated medium)

2 sticks butter, room temperature

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper - go a little light for less spicy straws

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/2 tsp regular black pepper

Cover grated cheese and let stand on counter WITH the butter for at least 2 - 3 hours.

Pre-heat oven to 350 and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Mix flour and spices together and set aside.

Place room temp cheese and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and beat until fairly smooth.  Scrape paddle a couple of times during this process.

Slowly beat in flour mixture until well combined.  Scrape paddle a couple of times to ensure even mixing.

Place mixed dough in a strong piping bag (or zip top bag with a 1/4" hole cut in one corner) fitted with a large (1/4") round piping tip.

If mixture is too stiff to pipe, heat dough in microwave for 30 seconds.

Pipe in 5" strips onto parchment paper.

Bake at 350 until golden brown - about 15 - 20 minutes.

Works best to cook 1 sheet at a time.

MAKES ABOUT 6 DOZEN

Cheese Sauce for Broccoli

12 oz. American cheese (or 18 slices wrapped)
2/3 cup milk
Salt & pepper to taste
Heat together over medium heat, stirring frequently, until cheese is melted.
Serve over 16 oz. broccoli, cooked

Ham N Cheese Sliders

1 package Hawaiian sweet rolls
1 onion, minced
1 stick of butter
3 Tbs of Dijon Mustard
2-3 teaspoons of Worcestershire Sauce
3 teaspoons of poppy seeds
1 1/2 pounds of shaved deli ham- or more depends how thick you want them
8-10 slices of Swiss cheese or American

In a sauce pan, melt the butter. Add onion and cook until soft.
Add mustard, Worcestershire, and poppy seeds. Simmer 5 mins
Slice rolls right down the middle. Place them in a pan with foil. place 2/3 of mixture on bottom of rolls..Add ham and then cheese.  Top with the other half of the rolls and add the rest of the mixture on top. Bake for 20 mins at 350. Cut where the lines are in the Hawaiian rolls and you now have perfectly melted sliders.

Macaroni and Cheese

The old fashioned recipe that both our mothers made when we were growing up - there's just no comparison!

2 1/2 cups uncooked macaroni, cooked

2 cups milk

5 eggs

4 cups (1 lb) shredded cheddar cheese

salt and pepper

In a generously buttered baking dish, layer 1/3 of cooked macaroni followed by a layer of 1/3 the cheese. Salt and pepper each layer.

Continue layering with other 2/3 macaroni and cheese.

Beat eggs; mix together with milk.

Pour egg & milk over macaroni and cheese layers.

Bake at 350 for 35 - 45 minutes until set