MAC AND CHEESE

For the Easiest Mac & Cheese

Start by combining whole milk with water in a medium saucepan.

Then add and cook the pasta directly in the milk & water mixture over medium heat while stirring and allowing the liquid to be absorbed by the pasta, about 1 minute before the pasta is done.

Before adding the cheese, kill the heat and add shredded cheddar cheese. Stir it until it is just distributed amongst the pasta, cover, and let rest for 5 minutes.

After resting for 5 minutes, plate and enjoy.

For the America’s Test Kitchen Mac & Cheese

Start by combining whole milk with water in a medium saucepan.

Then add and cook the pasta directly in the milk & water mixture over medium heat while stirring and allowing the liquid to be absorbed by the pasta, about 1 minute before the pasta is done then reduce the heat.

Add dijon mustard, cayenne pepper and grated American cheese then mix together over low heat before seasoning with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

Once the American cheese has completely melted add grated extra sharp cheddar, kill the heat entirely and mix it until it is dispersed amongst the pasta then cover and let it rest 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, give it a stir then serve and enjoy, or optionally toast up some bread crumbs in butter to top the mac and cheese with.

For the J. Kenji López-Alt’s Mac & Cheese

In a medium saucepan, cover pasta with just enough cold water to submerge and bring to a boil. Allow to simmer until most of the water is absorbed and the pasta is fully cooked.

Then pour evaporated milk over top, bring that to a simmer, and once it’s at a bare simmer add shredded cheese of choice (cheddar in this case).

Mix and cook that over low to no heat until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce has thickened. Add some optional Dijon mustard and cayenne pepper.

Once completely mixed together and creamy, plate and enjoy.

For the Baked Mac & Cheese

On a stovetop, start by cooking your pasta of choice. While they’re cooking, make a pan of bechamel - method below.

Once the bechamel/mornay sauce is finished, place the cooked pasta into a casserole dish and pour the cheese sauce over top. Stir together inside the casserole dish.

After the cheese sauce has been evenly dispersed, add the cubed mozzarella and mix to make sure it’s evenly distributed.

Top the whole thing with grated cheddar and grated parmesan.

Place into a 375°F oven for about 45 minutes (rotating once halfway through) and bake until a golden brown on top.

Let sit and rest for 10 minutes before serving.

For the Bechamel/Mornay Sauce

Start by shredding the parmesan, gruyere, fontina, and sharp white cheddar on the large hole side of a box grater and cubing the mozzarella cheese. All to specified weight.

In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until it stops spattering, the stage right before browning. Make sure to swirl regularly so the butter doesn’t splatter.

At this point, add flour and whisk into a thick paste and cook for 2-3 minutes until the raw flour smell dissipates.

At which point, slowly add the cold milk a little at a time. Slowly add 1/2 a cup of milk while whisking together until it reaches a smooth paste then add another ½ cup whisk until smooth, and so on and so forth until all of the milk have been added.

Whisk that rigorously over medium-high heat until it comes to a bare simmer and reaches a consistency of just thicker than that of heavy cream.

Once the bechamel is finished, combine all the cheese (except mozzarella) into a heatproof bowl. Pour the bechamel over top through a fine-mesh strainer. Fold the cheese into the bechamel and whisk until it is fully melted and turned into a mornay sauce.

Season with a bunch of salt, freshly ground pepper, cayenne pepper (optional), and whole grain mustard and whisk to combine.

For the Southern Style Mac and Cheese:

Start by cooking macaroni pasta in water.

Then shred sharp cheddar, cube mozzarella, and shred smoked gouda.

Once the macaroni is cooked, drained, and returned to the warm pot. Add in the sharp cheddar, stirring into the past while adding evaporated milk and mix together.

After the cheese has melted and the pasta is creamy and cheesy, add in the smoked gouda and mozzarella then mix together until evenly distributed.

Once the pasta has cooled enough to stick a finger without being burnt, put in large eggs - whisking together vigorously until the eggs are nice and smooth.

Place into a casserole dish, smooth it all out then cover/sprinkle on top with shredded yellow and white cheddar cheese along with the grated parmesan.

After the cheese is evenly coated on top, place the casserole dish into a 375°F oven for about 45 minutes until golden brown.

Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.