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Traditional Southern Macaroni and Cheese!


I had a shocking revelation about macaroni and cheese about a year ago.  I was talking to a woman I worked with at the time and she was telling me about her mother's macaroni and cheese and that she always made the cheese sauce and put it in the casserole and baked it.  I guess I looked at her like she had horns or something, because she went on to say, "you know nobody does that anymore...bakes it in the oven and all of that".   Then I went on to say that I  still did.  I thought everybody did. She said no you don't, nobody does that anymore.   

 Did I mention that this woman didn't really like me and this might have been the longest conversation we ever had and it was going downhill fast...lol?  I once again told her that I did bake my mac and cheese in the oven and I even put eggs in it.  Her final words to me on this subject were that I was a little different and everyone knew it.  Okay, I see how this is going now. 

So I replayed this conversation to my mother, because I knew I would get my idea that people still make macaroni and cheese the proper way reinforced.  However, when I told her what was said, she said nobody does that anymore.  Does what?  Nobody makes a sauce and bakes it in the oven and all of that she said.  WHAT?  She goes on to tell me that she stopped doing that when the grandchildren were little, because they liked it just as well made on the stove and served right from the pan. 

 THE GRANDCHILDREN!  They were children.  What did they know about the future of the traditional macaroni and cheese?   How had I missed the fact that my own mother had stopped doing it the right way? The youngest grandchildren are a set of twins that are 19 years old!   This travesty of the mac and cheese has been going on for over 20 years right in my own family and I didn't notice?    

 I told my mother that Paula Deen still makes her macaroni and cheese the right way.  She said,  'you do know that is just a tv show, right'?  So I said, 'Well, why do I still make mine this way?'   My mother said, well you are a little different.  Are we seeing a trend here?  lol  I do tend to get a little passionate about my causes I guess...oh, well!

Different or not, I am on a mission to get people to make the macaroni and cheese the way it is supposed to be made.  No blue box, no dump the stuff in the pot on the stove and eat it...but make it the dish it should be.  The dish your grandmother made or your great- aunt or even Paula Deen on the show. It's really not a hard thing to make and the results are well worth it.


Here is what you will need:
2 cups elbow macaroni (or penne), milk, half and half, salt, pepper, butter, Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Velveeta cheese, Swiss cheese, cheddar cheese, salt, pepper,  garlic powder and flour.




 
Boil the macaroni in salted water for the time it says on the box and drain.  Some recipes say to rinse it off, I don't do this.  I think it removes the flavor.  Also don't under cook it because if you do the macaroni will soak up all of your sauce and you will end up with dry mac and cheese.

Put the macaroni back in the pan with 1 Tbs of butter and let it melt and coat the macaroni.


Now we make a cheese sauce which I like to do in the microwave.  It is much easier to do and doesn't stick or burn.  Melt 1/2 stick of butter in the microwave and then add 1/4 cup of flour to that.  Blend the flour into the butter with a whisk and microwave for about 30 seconds.


 Add 1 cup half and half, 2 cups milk, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce and 1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce.  Whisk well and microwave for about 3 - 4 minutes.  Whisk again to remove any lumps and then add 8 oz. of Velveeta cheese.   Microwave for 2-3 more minutes until the cheese is melted and whisk again until smooth. 


Beat 2 eggs in a bowl.

Put the macaroni in the cheese sauce and gently mix, then pour the eggs in and mix.  Make sure the cheese sauce and pasta are not too hot or it will scramble your eggs.  If it is still hot, you can temper your eggs by adding a little of the hot cheese sauce a spoonful at a time to the eggs and mixing to bring them up to temperature.  After you mix, pour 1/2  into a 2 quart casserole dish you have sprayed well with cooking spray.


Lay about 3-4 slices of Swiss cheese on this layer and then cover with 1 cup cheddar cheese.  Pour the other half over this and lay 3-4 slices of Swiss cheese over and the other 1 cup cheddar on top.  Place in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 25-30 minutes or until it is bubbly and just starting to brown on top.


This sort of results in the best of both worlds of macaroni and cheese...it's creamy and custard -like because of the addition of the eggs.  That is southern macaroni and cheese!


Ingredients:
2 cups elbow macaroni or penne
1 cup half and half
2 cups milk
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick) plus 1 Tbs.
1/4 cup flour
8 oz. Velveeta cheese ( you can use American, but nothing beats Velveeta in this)
2 eggs, beaten
about 4-6 slices Swiss cheese
2 cups cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce (optional)
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (may sound strange but it adds a hint of flavor)


6 comments:

  1. My family always makes ours in the oven with Grated cheese, eggs half and half , is their any other Way? We make it this way for all holidays and special occasions, My grand son even makes it to take to Fire house for Holiday Dinner if he is working .. It is Tradition in our family.. now the kids will make the top of the stove kind for a snack..

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  2. I always make my sauce and mix with the cooked macaroni, pour into baking dish and bake.It is so much better baked! Old school cooking here!

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  3. I do it both ways, based on how busy we are and boxed for hamburgers, hotdogs, etc and baked for fancier dinners, but mine is always very bland. Will be trying this one soon :) Thanks!

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  4. I always make mine this way only I do the sauce on the stove,it never burns or sticks and I put the cheeses into the sauce to melt.. I don't use the eggs though so will try that next time.

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  5. I got my best macaroni & cheese recipe when I lived in South Carolina. I doesn't call for velveeta though and making a cheese sauce. The eggs and extra sharp cheese make all the difference to me. I never cared for mac & cheese until I tasted and
    made my coworkers recipe. Baking in the oven is a MUST.

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  6. I love traditional baked Mac and Cheese but I do it both ways depending on the situation and what I’m cooking w it. I use my grandmothers recipe. She was born in 1900 so I know it’s tried and true! Lol! She used macaroni, cheddar cheese, eggs, flour, milk, butter, dry mustard, tobacco sauce, salt and pepper. Very similar to your recipe. Delicious! ��

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