Favorite Mac and Cheese Add-ons

There is no comfort food that universally invokes memories of childhood quite like Mac and Cheese. I don't mean fancy premium versions from Trader Joes, but the familiar old blue box with the fluorescent orange powdered cheese. As an adult, though, I find the stuff to be rather monochromatic in the taste department, so I usually throw in whatever catches my eye. The great thing is that the stuff is so cheap and easy to make, if you turn out something inedible, it is no big deal to chuck it out and start again. Last night, I fixed a tasty variation by adding crumbled bacon, tarragon and garlic. What other blue box add-ons have you tried (or might like to try)?

A staple in college - sautee ground beef, add mac and cheese, ketchup and a dash (kiss your fingers) of tobasco!

My kids liked chicken and broccoli, ground beef and tomatoes, bacon and onions.
Although I don't do the blue box it would certainly work.

I don't stray too far from country ham.

d4v3 wrote:There is no comfort food that universally invokes memories of childhood quite like Mac and Cheese. I don't mean fancy premium versions from Trader Joes, but the familiar old blue box with the fluorescent orange powdered cheese. As an adult, though, I find the stuff to be rather monochromatic in the taste department, so I usually throw in whatever catches my eye. The great thing is that the stuff is so cheap and easy to make, if you turn out something inedible, it is no big deal to chuck it out and start again. Last night, I fixed a tasty variation by adding crumbled bacon, tarragon and garlic. What other blue box add-ons have you tried (or might like to try)?

Buffalo chicken bites.

Avocado & diced fresh tomatoes and some hot sauce

Garlic, red pepper flake, and frozen carrots & peas are a staple for me (and always available). Mushrooms if I have any handy.

In my impoverished college days, I'd cut up some hot dogs, too; now I use whatever meat I have handy if I'm in the mood.

Bacon or ham

peas

Broccoli

lobster in homemade premium mac and cheese.

We always went upscale with the deluxe blue box ... make mac & cheese, top with tomato slices and a layer of well buttered breadcrumbs - bake long enough to soften the tomatoes, and toast the breadcrumbs golden ... perfection.

Siun wrote:We always went upscale with the deluxe blue box ... make mac & cheese, top with tomato slices and a layer of well buttered breadcrumbs - bake long enough to soften the tomatoes, and toast the breadcrumbs golden ... perfection.

Zoom Kitchen used to make their mac and cheese using rotini and what appeared to be Rotel canned diced tomatoes with chilis. Pretty great.

Wow,
All these ideas sound great. I can't wait to try out a few.

I'm from the south, we always made it from scratch and baked it. Only additions would be an egg for binding and richness.

pairs4life wrote:I'm from the south, we always made it from scratch and baked it. Only additions would be an egg for binding and richness.

You know, I have never really attempted to make Mac and Cheese from scratch. Oh sure, I have poured melted Velveeta over noodles, but that is not the same as the more traditional baked variety. I have tasted all kinds of versions from the sublime to the inedible, so it is not as simple a dish as it seems. Although this thread was originally about the cheapo instant stuff, if anybody wants to share some secrets for producing a good moist and cheesy baked Mac and Cheese dish, I would appreciate it.

I really, really like the Rick Bayless/Frontera website recipe for "salsa mac and cheese". And it's easy to modify the add-ins:

http://www.rickbayless.com/recipe/view?recipeID=197

I use the recipe from "The Joy of Cooking."

d4v3 wrote:

pairs4life wrote:I'm from the south, we always made it from scratch and baked it. Only additions would be an egg for binding and richness.

You know, I have never really attempted to make Mac and Cheese from scratch. Oh sure, I have poured melted Velveeta over noodles, but that is not the same as the more traditional baked variety. I have tasted all kinds of versions from the sublime to the inedible, so it is not as simple a dish as it seems. Although this thread was originally about the cheapo instant stuff, if anybody wants to share some secrets for producing a good moist and cheesy baked Mac and Cheese dish, I would appreciate it.

This makes me say, " Oh My Stars!" Michael Ruhlman's Mac & Cheese with Soubise from Twenty. It is a bit of work, but it is the best macaroni and cheese I've ever tasted. I may make it for a potluck this week. I'm lacto-ovo vegetarian so I use veg. Worcestershire sauce in lieu of fish sauce or in a pinch I would use soy sauce or veg. Oyster sauce. I've not tried the vegetarian fish sauces yet.

I've made this twice in the last month and it is absolutely worth the effort. Not difficult, but time consuming for sure.
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/bake ... mozzarella

d4v3 wrote:You know, I have never really attempted to make Mac and Cheese from scratch. Oh sure, I have poured melted Velveeta over noodles, but that is not the same as the more traditional baked variety. I have tasted all kinds of versions from the sublime to the inedible, so it is not as simple a dish as it seems. Although this thread was originally about the cheapo instant stuff, if anybody wants to share some secrets for producing a good moist and cheesy baked Mac and Cheese dish, I would appreciate it.

I think I mentioned in another thread how much trouble I had making mac & cheese, and became dependent on Velveeta for the sauce. Well, after much effort, I think I've got it figured out. I've made mac & cheese every week for the last month, and don't think I'll ever get tired of it.

Anyway, I still haven't done measurements yet, but here's what I've figured out so far:

1. Start with a cold pan and gradually bring the butter up to temperature. The object is to evaporate the water without burning the milk solids.
2. Remove the pan from heat when adding the flower for the roux, and don't put it back until it's mixed well with the butter, and keep it on low. The more you toast the flour, the less thickening power it's going to have.
3. Pre-grated cheese is coated with corn starch to prevent it from sticking, and requires less flower.
4. The pasta will contain both loose starch, and salt (you did salt the pasta water, right?). Make sure you factor both of these into the taste/texture of your bechamel (that is, it should be both thinner and more bland than you epect).
5. Likewise, the cheese will add salt, too.
6. Bring the heat up to medium when you add the whole milk; it won't thicken properly unless it's hot enough.
7. The bechamel should be thinner than you think. The cheese itself will make it thicker when you add it - right now it should be roughly the texture and thickness of heavy cream.
8. If you're veggies, do it now. They should be slightly undercooked before you add the cheese.
9. Turn the heat back down to low before adding the cheese. It will still incorporate at low temps, but too much heat will cause the cheese to curdle and separate (which can't recover).
10. Start with only a very small amount of cheese, and mix it well before adding the rest. It's like making mayo - too much too soon will break the emulsion.
11. Like all pasta, the macaroni should be slightly undercooked as you incorporate it into the sauce.

Our house staple add-ins are a can of drained tuna (here, kitty, kitty!) and some frozen peas.

When I want to impress someone, I make the Martha Stewart version (via Smitten Kitchen 'cos Martha can't be arsed to clean up her comment spam and it offends my tender sensibilities).