Last week I was sharing with you how much Mac N Cheese my kids enjoy. It’s one of the few items that I can consistently get them to clean their plates with. Except when it comes to me, I don’t want to touch the stuff. I think I ate far too much of it as a child to ever really enjoy it again.
Update: The one mac and cheese I WILL eat is this Homemade Baked Macaroni and Cheese. WOW!
So this week I decided to give myself a challenge: Find love in a meal I formerly didn’t and use a new product that I have yet to try.
I have to tell you that I could NOT keep my spoon out of this reformatted meal. Walk by, “taste test”…walk by…test….by the time it was actually dinner time, all my spoons were dirty from digging them in!
Now you can make Mac N Cheese on the stove and serve immediately as the original recipe I was inspired by does, but I get a little picky about cheese being the right consistency, so I altered this for my families tastes and needs and served it up slow cooker style.
Mac N Cheese Soup and Buffalo Chicken Strips
- 1 1/2 cup dry elbow macaroni
- 1/2 cup minced onion
- 1/2 cup minced celery
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 cups whole milk
- 4 cups shredded cheese ( I used Colby Jack, you can use Cheddar if you prefer)
- 6oz Velveeta (I bought a block and cut off and tore into pieces)
1) Prep your slow cooker pot by adding Reynolds liner.
2) Cook your elbow macaroni noodles till al dente. Do not finish all the way bc they will get some slow cooker time. Drain and set aside.
3) Add butter to a separate pan and fry up your onion and celery a bit for about 5 minutes or until softer. Stir in flour for just a minute to cover items. Be careful to not let burn. Add wine and simmer down. Add broth, mustard, nutmeg and cayenne. Simmer till its a little thicker and then add in the milk. Do not let boil or your milk could get icky.
4) Pour noodles into crock pot and then pour in your soup mixture. Do not worry about runny it is. It will thicken up a bit. Add cheese 1 cup at a time and stir till dissolved. After all four cups of shredded cheese are in, drop in your chunks of Velveeta and put the lid on the pot.
5) Cook on high for about 30 minutes, then change to low for about 30 minutes. I stirred mine every 10 minutes to make sure the cheese was mixed up. Once an hour is up, switch your crock pot to warm so the soup holds. I served mine an hour and a half after that,s o it was in the pot for 2.5 hours. It was a perfect consistency for my family. Now the longer it stays the more the broth base will cook out of it and it will become creamy mac n cheese. If you want this to be more of a soup, I wouldn’t plan on leaving it on all day.
When I served the baby, I drained some of the liquid and let him use a fork. He is better at it at his age in keeping the food on there and as you can see, he was pleased.
And messy:
And so was dad!
I’d show a picture of Charlotte, but it took her like an hour to try it and then she said “Its not as bad as I thought.” That’s about equivalent of me winning the lotto around here.
She is so picky.
If you like you can also pair it with some buffalo chicken strips to make more of a meal. They are easy! Just cut up some chicken, however your family usually likes to eat, into strips. Coat in flour and a little salt and pepper to taste. You can either broil by laying on some Reynolds Wrap foil in the oven, bake if you prefer a healthy alternative and use some pan lining paper, or even toss in a pan with a little oil. Once the chicken is cooked, pour 1/3 cup buffalo sauce, 1/2 stick of melted butter, and 1 tbsp honey in a bowl and toss in your strips. Pull out (tongs work great for this) and serve along side soup. We liked to dip ours in a side ranch.
Of course I submitted this recipe for the Reynold Real Mom Challenge but if you like this recipe, I hope you pin, stumble, tweet, or like to share with your friends!
Trisha
FAQs
8 Ways to Elevate Your Macaroni and Cheese Dinners
- Add extra cheese to your dish.
- Mix in some hot sauce and chicken to make buffalo chicken mac n' cheese.
- Add in vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and spinach.
- Sprinkle some bacon bits or breadcrumbs on the top of your dish.
- Add spices and fresh herbs to your dish.
Ingredients for Mac and Cheese
Butter & Flour: Butter and flour make a “roux” which thickens the sauce and helps the cheese melt into the sauce smoothly. Without a roux, the water in the milk will repel the fat in the cheese and you'll get a lumpy sauce.
Is cornstarch better than flour for mac and cheese? ›
Kenji illustrates this effect beautifully in his 15-Minute Ultra-Gooey Stovetop Mac and Cheese and Nacho Cheese Sauce. The cornstarch yields a smoother, creamier, more velvety texture than flour or cheese alone.
How to make mac and cheese Gordon Ramsay? ›
In a large pot over medium heat, combine the pasta and milk. Bring the milk to a simmer and cook until the pasta is tender, 8–10 minutes. Once the pasta is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and add the butter, cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper. Stir until fully combined.
What not to do when making mac and cheese? ›
Here's what several experts say are the biggest mistakes when it comes to making macaroni and cheese at home and how to avoid making them.
- Using Only Cheddar cheese. ...
- Not Adding Spice and Seasoning with Salt. ...
- Choosing the Wrong Pasta. ...
- Overcooking. ...
- Skimping on the Toppings.
Sharp cheddar is the overwhelming popular choice, but for extra-creamy results, we think medium cheddar is even better. Other delicious options include Gruyère, smoked Gouda, and Monterey Jack.
What does adding more milk to mac and cheese do? ›
Sauce too thick? Stir in a splash of milk and mix until the sauce has loosened up. (This is also a great trick for reheating mac and cheese - if you're microwaving leftovers and the sauce seems to have dried up, stir a splash of milk or half-and-half into the pasta to bring the sauce back to life!)
How do you make mac and cheese creamy again? ›
The #1 secret to creamy reheated mac and cheese
"Stir in about 2 Tbs. of milk per 1 cup of mac and cheese and reheat," he says. The milk loosens up the pasta and helps create the creamy sauce as it's reheating. Heavy cream works well in this case too and adds an extra touch of richness to the mac and cheese.
What is the thickening agent for macaroni and cheese? ›
Use cornstarch or all-purpose flour.
You can thicken cheese sauce further by adding more flour or even using a couple of teaspoons of cornstarch. In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch or flour with a cup of water. The cold water will create a slurry.
Why does my mac and cheese sauce taste like flour? ›
The flour taste comes from a roux. When you make your roux you should cook it for a few minutes to develop some color and flavor, as well as eliminate any floury flavor. Once added to a soup or sauce, the soup or sauce should be simmered until properly thickened, which will also work to eliminate any floury taste.
First of all, whisk your roux well to incorporate all of the flour and break up any lumps. The roux should look like the wet beach sand when the waves roll back. Now whisk your milk vigorously when you add it to the roux. You don't want any lumps of roux, so get that whisk in motion.
What is a good substitute for cheddar cheese in mac and cheese? ›
Gruyere is a classic addition because it melts much like Cheddar, but has a lovely nutty flavor. Other classics include Gouda, Muenster, Parmesan, fontina, Havarti and Monterey Jack. Brie works well too, just make sure you remove the rind before mixing it in.
What can I add to homemade mac and cheese to give it more flavor? ›
Dry mustard, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper: Mac and cheese is all about the cheese, after all, so I chose this combination of seasonings to really enhance and highlight the cheddar. Dry mustard powder has a sharp flavor that pairs so well with the cheese, and smoked paprika lends an irresistibly smoky note.
What makes mac and cheese taste so good? ›
Great mac n' cheese needs one or more cheeses that melt well, and one or more cheeses that bring the flavor. The best melters include monterey jack, fontina, baby swiss, asiago, provolone, mozzarella, and alpine-style. Cheeses for flavor: cheddar, havarti, smoked gouda, gorgonzola, feta and any other of your favorites.
What's in Bob Evans mac and cheese? ›
Cooked Enriched Pasta (Water, Elbow Macaroni [Semolina (Wheat), Niacin, Iron (Ferrous Sulfate), Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid]), Milk, Water, Pasteurized Process Cheese Spread (American Cheese [Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes], Water, Whey, Sodium Phosphate, Contains Less than 2% of ...
What can I add to bland mac and cheese? ›
Try adding a little more salt first, because that might fix it. If the problem was the cheese you use doesn't have much flavor, then try adding some other flavors, such has mustard or hot sauce. The next time you make it, try to find some more strongly flavor cheese, or adding more cheese.
How can I improve my ready meal mac and cheese? ›
20 Easy Ways To Make Boxed Mac And Cheese Even Better
- Add Cream Cheese.
- Replace The Milk.
- Upgrade The Cheese.
- Give It A Cheffy Twist.
- Turn It Into A Main Dish With Meat.
- Mix In New Flavors To Create Magic.
Sprinkle in some spices or sauces
Choose your own zesty adventure by adding a pinch of cayenne pepper, dry mustard powder, garlic powder, mushroom powder, or even a dash of hot sauce.
What adds Flavour to mac and cheese? ›
Cayenne, Nutmeg, Black Pepper, and Dry Mustard
Simply add ½ teaspoons of cayenne, black pepper, and dry mustard with a dash of nutmeg to a mixture of 1 egg and 1 cup (0.24 l) of heavy cream. Pour this spice mixture on top of your traditional mac and cheese recipe before baking.
