Re: Macaroni Cheese

FFOSSE

Thanks for the compliment. Yes, it did seem to be well received and it all got eaten.
Even I had some. In fact the main reason for making up that recipe was so that I would like it as well, since the staff & residents all ate the same food

You can add herbs, worcester sauce, bacon, ham, peppers, tomatoes and so on; either in the mixture or as a topping, but then it becomes less like macaroni cheese and more like a pasta bake

I didn't think of adding Marmite, but sometimes I would add a small amount of vegetable stock
You need to be a bit careful about what you do add if you're making for a few people in case you need it to be vegetarian

If you chop the celery & onions fine enough you can make the white sauce straight on top of them in the same pan.

But you should add pre cooked pasta at the end; if you add dry pasta to the white sauce mix it will almost certainly burn, and the pasta will take much longer to soften

Re: Macaroni Cheese

I've tried lots of variations on Mac 'n Cheese, but my family insist that simple is best by far.
I just boil the macaroni until almost done, then cook a roux sauce (butter, flour, soft cheese and mature cheddar) and pour it over the pasta. Grate more cheddar over the top, sprinkle some breadcrumbs and cook in the oven until the top is brown. Serve with crusty bread and butter and HP sauce (must be HP - nothing else is acceptable).

Re: Macaroni Cheese

Yes, absolutely. Stale breadcrumbs, not too finely chopped, and a bit of melted butter poured over all, and baked in a very hot oven is the secret to getting that yummy crunchy topping.

Oh, now you've done it ! Macaroni and cheese for me tonight.

Re: Macaroni Cheese

Thanks for all the tips...I'm hungry for it now and it's only breakfast time!

Re: Macaroni Cheese

We use blue cheese and crispy bacon pieces in ours, and a thick layer of breadcrumbs on top is an absolute must....

Re: Macaroni Cheese

I've never made it with blue cheese, I think I'll give it a try.

Re: Macaroni Cheese

I did it with blue cheese a few months ago but generally they all preferred cheddar as the Stilton made it a bit salty for us.

Re: Macaroni Cheese

Should have said, we add a little blue cheese as well as the cheddar just to give it more of a punch, and I agree it would be too salty if blue was used on it's own.