Can u make macaroni & cheese with sharp cheddar cheese?

Yep!! And I like the "sharper the better"..........also add some crumbled crisp bacon to it (if you eat meat, that is............ ;))

Christopher K.

Were you looking for a recipe using sharp Cheddar???? Let us know, I have a KILLER one.......

Ina Garten's 'Grown Up Mac & Cheese'

4 ounces thick-sliced bacon

Vegetable oil

Kosher salt

2 cups elbow macaroni or cavatappi

1 1/2 cups milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated

3 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated

2 ounces blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Pinch nutmeg

2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed

2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in 1 layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is crisp. Remove the pan carefully from the oven - there will be hot grease in the pan! Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and crumble when it is cool enough to handle.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt the butter in a medium pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or 2 more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, blue cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and crumbled bacon and stir well. Pour into 2 individual size gratin dishes.

Place the bread slices in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until you have coarse crumbs. Add the basil and pulse to combine. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top of the pasta. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

THIS RECIPE IS COURTESY OF FOOD NETWORK

Christopher K.

You can use all the cheeses that you have. Just make your basic white sauce (2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons flour) makes a base, can't spell rue???? Heat butter in med. sauce pan till melted, add flour and cook and stir for a couple minutes, then pour 1 cup milk slowly, stirring constantly intill mixture starts to thicken, add more milk if needed. Should resemble a cream soup at this point, then stirr in your cheeses, preferrably shredded. Continue stirring until everything is melted and combined. Add milk if necessary. Add a dash or two of pepper, and taste to see if you need salt, if so, add a little at a time cause cheese is salty. Well, you know the rest. Sounds good, think I'll make some tomarrow.

yeah y not, all u have to do is cook it like u usually do just instead when u r supposed to asdd the pacaged chees, skip that step and ad shredded sharp cheddar chees, however much u want, just play it by eye, if it looks like its enough, then its probably enough though. if u want the shredded sharp cheddar chees with the packaged cheese then just add the shredded sharp cheddar cheese after u add the packaged cheese. but i would add less if u were going to do it this way...!! rofl

ur recipe sounds deliciouse... im gonna have ta try that one!!! ty for the good idea!!

hope this helps!!

best of wishes!!

:))

Sharp is great! I find that mild doesnt have enough flavor and it causes me to put too much cheese on it. The sharp brings forth a bolder flavor. I also use Monterey Jack and a bit of cottage cheese (which you will not taste) and the cottage cheese will make the mac & cheese creamy.

Absolutely, yes! Especially if it is a sharp white cheddar.

It is also great to add other cheeses such as Fontina, Parmesan, or Asiago.

Gruyère is also a great addition.

Of course. Matter of fact. You can add ANY kind of cheese you desire. I use pepper jack, sharp cheddar and a little sprinkle of fine shredded Parmesan. It taste VERY good.

Yeah you can but you'll need to add more liquid because of the cheeses dry nature.

A lot of soul food cooks add in some Velveeta cheese too. I know its not real cheese but it does add that really super hearty richness to the dish.

Softer cheeses are better for mac though because of their melting properties. Gouda is my favorite.

I prefer it with extra sharp!

If you can pack in more flavor, why would you ever want to go with mild? (Unless of course you didn't like the flavor of cheese, but then, why would you be eating mac 'n' cheese?).

Sure. What ever kind you like. I like extra sharp cheddar for that extra bite.

Yeah, you can use whatever cheese you'd like.