Homemade Mac and Cheese

One of my most favorite meals to make is mac and cheese.  It can be such a life saver on crazy busy nights (or those nights you just don’t feel like making dinner).  It can be easy enough that you kids can make it on their own or with minimal supervision.  I want to share to ways to dress up that mac and cheese and make it an entire meal too.  This homemade mac and cheese recipe will help you have dinner on the table in no time.

 

Mac and Cheese Base

Finding the perfect mac and cheese base isn’t always easy – and it will be different for everyone.  Some people like to add extra seasonings to their mac and cheese.  Or different types of cheeses.  Or more pasta than cheese.  Or a crunchy topping.  There are lots of ways to make your mac and cheese your own once you find a really good base recipe to work from.  Having a good homemade mac and cheese recipe will help you tweak it to your own personal tastes.

Make Ahead Mac and Cheese

When you’re making your homemade mac and cheese base, I like to make enough to freeze some too.  That way I’ve got some on hand if the kids want it for lunch or dinner when I’m not able to whip up a brand new batch.  I like to store mine in plastic wrap inside of a small plastic container in the freezer.  Once the mac and cheese freezes, I use the plastic wrap to pull it out and wrap it up for the freezer.  I keep them together in a gallon sized zip top bag in the freezer.  That way when the kids pull it out, it fits into their bowl and is pre-portioned for them.  All they need to do is reheat it at that point.  

Mac and Cheese Toppings

Think of your homemade mac and cheese as a blank canvas.  Sure it’s delicious on its own.  But it’s even better when you add more to it.  You’ve probably seen (or even had yourself) mac and cheese with hotdogs cut up in it.  And of course there are “fancy” versions of mac and cheese with lobster and things like that too.  Add in w

hatever you’d like to your mac and cheese to turn it from a side dish into a full on dinner for yourself and your family.  

Mac and Cheese for a Crowd

One of the best things about homemade mac and cheese is that you can really stretch it which makes it perfect for a party or get together.  Pasta is usually fairly inexpensive so it doesn’t have to break the bank either to make a bigger batch of it.  Most everyone likes mac and cheese too so it’s a perfect party or potluck food. 

Ready to make your own homemade mac and cheese?  Give this recipe a try.  Be sure to come back and let me know what you add to it to make it your own.

Ingredients 

• Left Over Pulled Pork ( Can also use store bought kit)
• 2 1/2 Cups Cooked Elbow Macaroni 
• 2 Cups Cheddar Cheese
• 2 Cups Colby Jack Cheese
• 2 Cups Milk
• 4 Tbs Butter
• 1 Tsp Salt
• 1 Tsp Pepper
• 1 Tbs Flour
• Bbq Sauce (for pork)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and boil your pasta.

 

Once the pasta is cooked, you’ll put your homemade mac and cheese together in the baking dish.  Take half of your cooked pasta and mix it together with half the butter, cheese, salt, pepper, and flour in your baking dish.

 

After you get that all mixed together, add the other half of the ingredients into the baking dish and mix everything together.  When everything is well mixed, add the milk and mix again.  

Now your homemade mac and cheese is ready for the oven.  Before you pop it in the oven, cover your baking dish with aluminum foil.  Bake your mac and cheese for 30 minutes.  You’ll take the foil off, give everything a mix, and put the dish back into the oven for another 15 minutes to make sure everything is all baked and gooey.  

Before you put your mac and cheese into the oven, if you wanted to add additional cheese or another topping, that would be the time.  If you want a really “well done” golden topping on your mac and cheese, you can even put it under the broiler for a couple of minutes.

 

While your mac and cheese is baking in the oven for the last 15 minutes, heat up your pulled pork to top your mac and cheese.  Once the meat is warmed up, you can mix in your barbecue sauce.

 

When you take your mac and cheese out of the oven for the last time, you can add the pulled pork to the top of the mac and cheese in the baking dish.  Or you can let everyone add their own pulled pork to their mac and cheese as they get their dinner.