Baked macaroni and cheese is a beloved comfort food. It is a versatile dish that can be customized to your liking. If you are looking for a creamy, flavorful, and healthy baked macaroni and cheese, this recipe with kale and mushrooms is sure to satisfy your cravings. The kale adds a pop of color and a boost of nutrients, while the mushrooms provide a savory umami flavor. The creamy cheese sauce is rich and decadent, and the crispy breadcrumb topping adds the perfect finishing touch. So grab your ingredients and get ready to indulge in a delicious and comforting meal.
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CREAMY BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE
This recipe, inspired by Stouffer's macaroni and cheese, delivers the best of all worlds: creamy, saucy comfort, with a consistency that's slightly more set than a stovetop version, thanks to a final bake in the oven. It stays voluptuous and molten as a result of a higher ratio of sauce to noodles, which are cooked completely so they don't soak up as much liquid. The Velveeta is necessary here, as it has sodium citrate, which prevents the sauce from separating in the oven. Elbow macaroni works fine, but cavatappi is an especially fun shape to eat with its telephone-cord bounciness.
Provided by Eric Kim
Time 1h
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season generously with salt. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until just past al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Return the empty pot to the stove (no need to clean it) and set over medium heat. Melt the butter and simmer, whisking occasionally, until the butter stops spurting and quiets down, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the flour and cook, whisking, until smooth like gravy, about 1 minute.
- Whisk in the milk. Raise the heat to high and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly, then immediately reduce the heat to low and continue simmering until the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon, 2 to 5 minutes. At this stage, the sauce should be smooth but relatively loose. Take the pot off the heat.
- To the pot, add the Cheddar, Velveeta, Pecorino Romano, mustard powder, onion powder and cayenne, and season generously with salt and black pepper. Whisk until the cheese is melted and smooth like nacho cheese. Add the drained pasta, breaking up any clumps, and stir until evenly coated in the cheese sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking pan or dish and bake until bubbling at the edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
CREAMY MUSHROOM MACARONI
Cheesy macaroni casserole in an instant!
Provided by BABY1
Categories Main Dish Recipes Pasta Macaroni and Cheese Recipes Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipes
Time 40m
Yield 5
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- In medium saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, milk, mushroom soup and processed cheese. Stir until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in cooked pasta. Pour into 2 quart baking dish and bake 20 minutes or until top is golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes and serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 734.7 calories, Carbohydrate 81.5 g, Cholesterol 65.5 mg, Fat 30.5 g, Fiber 4 g, Protein 32.4 g, SaturatedFat 16.8 g, Sodium 1295.8 mg, Sugar 2.9 g
BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE WITH KALE AND GREAT NORTHERN BEANS
From food blog Al Dente. (http://www.aldenteblog.com/flauers_martini.html) I added a package of organic chicken hot dogs as well.
Provided by yogiclarebear
Categories Macaroni And Cheese
Time 45m
Yield 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it.
- Cook the milk with the bay leaves in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. When small bubbles appear along the sides, about 5 minutes later, turn off the heat and let stand.
- In the salted water, cook the pasta al dente. Drain it, rinse it quickly to stop the cooking, and put it in a large bowl.
- Trim the stems from the kale. Bring a large pot of water to boil and add kale. Boil kale for one minute, remove, and set aside to cool. Squeeze excess water from kale and chop into edible pieces.
- In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter; when it is foamy, add the flour and cook, stirring, until the mixture browns, about 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaves from the milk and add about 1/4 cup of the milk to the hot flour mixture, stirring with a wire whisk all the while. As soon as the mixture becomes smooth, add a little more milk and continue to do so until all the milk is used up and the mixture is thick and smooth. Add the cheddar and stir.
- Pour the sauce over the noodles, toss in the Parmesan and kale, mix in the white beans, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Use the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to grease a 9 x 13-inch or similar-size baking pan and turn the pasta mixture into it. Top liberally with bread crumbs and bake until bubbling and the crumbs turn brown, about 15 minutes. Serve piping hot.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 675.9, Fat 24.8, SaturatedFat 14.9, Cholesterol 71.6, Sodium 442.9, Carbohydrate 83.4, Fiber 6.6, Sugar 2.5, Protein 30.2
CREAMY BAKED MACARONI
This old-fashioned macaroni casserole gets a different twist, thanks to Gouda cheese. It bakes up nice and creamy with just a hint of zip from the hot sauce. It's comfort food at its yummiest.
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 45m
Yield 6 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400°. Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain. In a large bowl, combine the soup, milk, chives, mustard and hot pepper sauce. Stir in macaroni and cheese. , Spoon into a greased shallow 2-qt. baking dish. Combine bread crumbs and butter; sprinkle over the top. Bake, uncovered, until heated through and bubbly, 25-30 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 272 calories, Fat 15g fat (8g saturated fat), Cholesterol 47mg cholesterol, Sodium 678mg sodium, Carbohydrate 23g carbohydrate (4g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 13g protein.
DELICIOUS CREAMED KALE WITH MUSHROOMS
Goes great as a side dish to any protein-based entree.
Provided by Jake Foz
Categories Side Dish Vegetables Greens
Time 35m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir kale and shallot until kale is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir mushrooms, cream, Asiago cheese, garlic, salt, and black pepper into kale mixture. Reduce heat to low and simmer until cream has thickened and mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 333.1 calories, Carbohydrate 16.7 g, Cholesterol 90.1 mg, Fat 27.9 g, Fiber 2.9 g, Protein 7.9 g, SaturatedFat 17.1 g, Sodium 219.4 mg, Sugar 0.6 g
Tips:
- Use a good quality cheese: The type of cheese you use will have a big impact on the flavor of your mac and cheese. Use a cheese that melts well and has a strong flavor, such as cheddar, Gruyère, or Gouda.
- Don't overcook the pasta: The pasta should be cooked al dente, still slightly firm to the bite. If you overcook the pasta, it will become mushy and the dish will be less enjoyable.
- Make sure the sauce is thick enough: The sauce should be thick enough to coat the pasta and vegetables without being too runny. If the sauce is too thin, add more cheese or flour until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Don't be afraid to experiment: There are many ways to customize this recipe to your liking. Try adding different vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli, or zucchini. You can also add cooked protein, such as chicken, beef, or shrimp.
Conclusion:
This creamy baked macaroni and cheese with kale and mushrooms is a delicious and comforting dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal. It is easy to make and can be customized to your liking. So next time you are looking for a hearty and satisfying meal, give this recipe a try!
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