# Gimme your best mac and cheese recipe! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 28, 2008, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-your-best-mac-and-cheese-recipe/465570 "2008-09-28T12:32:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-your-best-mac-and-cheese-recipe/465570/21 "2008-09-30T01:23:16Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > No doubt, you are loaded up with truffles. And not small amounts either. > > If I were going to make this and deviate from the recipie at all, I would probably go with just the black truffle oil and probably skip the blue cheese and the brie to cut WAY back on cost. It wouldn’t really be the same, but damn thats a lot of truffle. > > It probably \*is \*almost as good as sex though. The truffles come in a little jar of 0.88 oz for about $16. You can get many, many batches of mackin cheez outta that. The blue cheese adds a really nice tang. I recommend cutting back on the asiago or fontina/gruyere if you wanna save somewhere. The brie is optional. I can’t taste the difference sufficiently between the white and black truffle oils, so I agree, and have made it with one or the other. I usually have the black on hand. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-your-best-mac-and-cheese-recipe/465570/22 "2008-09-30T01:53:07Z")
> [@norinew](#): > > Several weeks ago, my hubby and I visited **Miss Gypsy** and her hubby for a cook out, and she served mac and cheese, the best I’d ever eaten. I took a double batch of it to yesterday’s _Gettysdope_ and it disappeared within the hour, so it must be OK ). Hey! This was a dopefest. If you served 'em dogpoo and colored it yellow, stuck in a sign that says “free mac and cheese,” they’d still eat it all up. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![dbuzman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de0a6/32.png) [@dbuzman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dbuzman)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-your-best-mac-and-cheese-recipe/465570/23 "2008-09-30T02:45:40Z")
Macaroni and velveeta cheese. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-your-best-mac-and-cheese-recipe/465570/24 "2008-09-30T12:35:51Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Hey! This was a dopefest. If you served 'em dogpoo and colored it yellow, stuck in a sign that says “free mac and cheese,” they’d still eat it all up. 😃 Well, lemme put it this way: **danceswithcats** had leftover chili to take home with him. **Wendell Wagner** had leftover cheeses and olives to take home with him. The dessert table was still half-full when we left the party at 6PM. But, we arrived at 2PM (ish) and by 3PM the mac and cheese was gone. So, does _that_ tell you anything? 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![cbawlmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cbawlmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbawlmer)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-your-best-mac-and-cheese-recipe/465570/25 "2008-09-30T23:17:33Z")
[Ina Garten’s Grown-Up Mac and Cheese](http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/grown-up-mac-and-cheese-recipe/index.html) is heavenly! It includes bleu cheese, Gruyere, extra-sharp Cheddar, and bacon. We went with cavatappi instead of elbow macaroni for the pasta, which is given as an option in the recipe, and it turns out very well. After eating this, I’m not sure I will ever be able to eat another mac and cheese recipe without being a little disappointed. ---
**Author:** ![MissGypsy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8491ac/32.png) [@MissGypsy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissGypsy)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-your-best-mac-and-cheese-recipe/465570/26 "2008-10-01T02:18:04Z")
Well, I came in here to post my recipe, but I see I’ve been beaten to it! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-your-best-mac-and-cheese-recipe/465570/27 "2008-10-01T02:24:58Z")
I’ve honestly yet to have a ‘homemade’ mac and cheese that I prefer to Kraft three cheese shells. Yes, the powder. Homemade mac and cheese always is just a bit too rich for me. I don’t know…I’ve had some fairly good home made mac and cheese recipes, and they’re certainly not bad, but I’ll take the powdered crap any day over that. Which is odd, since I love cheese in all forms. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-your-best-mac-and-cheese-recipe/465570/28 "2008-10-01T06:18:26Z")
> [@Jman](#): > > I’ve honestly yet to have a ‘homemade’ mac and cheese that I prefer to Kraft three cheese shells. Yes, the powder. > > Homemade mac and cheese always is just a bit too rich for me. I don’t know…I’ve had some fairly good home made mac and cheese recipes, and they’re certainly not bad, but I’ll take the powdered crap any day over that. Which is odd, since I love cheese in all forms. Eating Kraft Mac & Cheese is like eating a hug. _rainbows!_ ---
**Author:** ![El\_Perro\_Fumando](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e9c0ed/32.png) [@El\_Perro\_Fumando](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Perro_Fumando)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-your-best-mac-and-cheese-recipe/465570/29 "2008-10-01T12:51:45Z")
Although I have yet to try Alton Brown’s Mac and Cheese recipe, [this one from Paula Deen](http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/creamy-macaroni-and-cheese-recipe/index.html) is pretty darn good (and great for a potluck since it’s a crockpot recipe). ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-your-best-mac-and-cheese-recipe/465570/30 "2008-10-01T14:19:41Z")
Here’s Martha Stewart’s recipe Servings: 6 - 8 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 55 minutes 8 tbsps (1 stick) unsalted\* butter, plus more for dish 6 slices white bread, crusts removed, torn into 1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces 5 1/2 cups milk 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste 4-1/2 cups (18 oz) sharp cheddar cheese, grated 2 cups (8 oz) Gruyere cheese, grated or 1 1/4 cups (5 oz) Pecorino Romano, grated 1-lb elbow macaroni 1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. 2. Place bread in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour butter into the bowl with bread, and toss. Set bread crumbs aside. 3. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk. Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook, whisking, 1 minute. While whisking, slowly pour in hot milk. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick. Remove pan from heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar cheese, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyere or 1 cup Pecorino Romano; set cheese sauce aside. 4. Fill a large saucepan with water; bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook 2 to 3 minutes less than manufacturer’s directions, until the outside of pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone. (Different brands of macaroni cook at different rates; be sure to read the instructions.) Transfer macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. 5. Stir macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce. Pour mixture into prepared dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Gruyere or 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano, and bread crumbs over top. 6. Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes. Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool 5 minutes; serve hot. NOTES: \*I use salted butter and reduce the amount of salt in the recipe. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-your-best-mac-and-cheese-recipe/465570.md?page=1)