Garlic-Herb Mac & Cheese
Garlic-Herb Mac & Cheese
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| Yield: | 5 1/2 cups, about 4 servings. |
Ingredients
Macaroni
- 8 ounces (about 2 cups) uncooked pasta (elbows, trumpets, rigatoni, ditalini, cavatappi, ziti... anything tubular)
- 1/4 cup Signature Secrets Culinary Thickener or King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 2 3/4 cups milk
- 1/2 cup Vermont cheese powder
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard powder, optional
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
Topping
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons garlic oil, optional
- 2 teaspoons Pizza Seasoning or rosemary and thyme
- 1 1/2 cups Japanese panko (coarse bread crumbs)
Directions
1) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease four 1 1/2 to 2-cup ramekins, or one 2-quart baking dish.
2) Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente (slightly firmer than you would normally eat it). Drain and rinse with cool water. Set aside.
3) In a large saucepan set over medium heat, whisk together the Signature Secrets, or flour, milk, and cheese powder. Bring to a boil.
4) Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese and seasonings. Stir occasionally, until cheese is completely melted.
5) Stir the pasta into the cheese sauce. Spoon it into the baking dish(es).
6) Melt the butter and garlic oil together, then stir in the pizza seasoning and panko bread crumbs. Sprinkle a thick layer over the pasta and cheese.
7) Bake the casserole for 25 to 35 minutes, until bubbly and browned. Remove from the oven, and serve hot.
Yield: 5 1/2 cups, about 4 servings.
Reviews
03/14/2012- Easy to make & really tasty! I made it with Gemelli, & the noodles really held up well to the sauce. My kids typically complain about homemade mac & cheese, but they inhaled this. My husband & I liked the added spices. Excellent flavor & texture. Will definitely be making this again (& often!).
- 12/08/2011
- This mac'n'cheese was really good! Creamy and smooth, with a nice crunch.
- 12/02/2011
- I really enjoyed this recipe. My mother, who doesn't even like and mac and cheese, thoroughly enjoyed this dish. I would also like to add that one of my personal favorite toppings is simply a generous layer of crushed up plain Lays potato chips. I also hear Townhouse crackers make a nice buttery addition.
- 10/17/2011
- This is the first homemade mac and cheese recipe that has turned out well for me. It has so much flavor and creamy cheese. Ususally I end up with bland mush, but I have made this three times now and everytime it has turned out perfectly. It is even good cold and re-heated. The garlic oil is a must to add a layer of flavor.
- 08/06/2011
- Everyone loved it. I made the same alterations that headchef recomended in a few comments below mine, and i just used olive oil instead of garlic oil. the rosemary is the star ingrediant in this. As soon as i opened the casserole dish and the smell of rosemary wafted through the air, i was surrounded by family members asking if we could eat RIGHT NOW. Instead of buying bread crumbs, leave 2 or 3 slices of bread out the night before so they dry out and become stale, then pulse them in a food processor for 10 seconds. super easy.
- 03/28/2011
- 02/02/2011
- I grew up with the orange mac and cheese from a box, so I think this was the first time I made the real stuff. Delicious! I used whole wheat bread crumbs and put in diced ham. Because it was nice and saucy it didn't get dried out an the leftovers were just as good (unlike some other mac and cheeses I've had)
10/11/2010- I made this recipe twice. Once exactly as prescribed and the second with a few changes. The first was good but not great. It lacked cheese flavor and too much bread crumb. The second version was made with real Vermont Cheddar (not powder), 2 cups of milk, 1/4 cup flour and 2 tablespoons of butter. I reduce the breadcrumb topping by at least 1/3 to 1/2. The result was a full flavored dish with more robust cheese flavor.
- 08/18/2010
- I made this last night for supper and it was a BIG hit! I used one cup of Cabot xtra Sharp shredded, and one cup of Cabot 50% reduced cheddar to lower the fat and calories. The panko breadcrumbs were a nice touch. They remained crunchy and it made a nice presentation. I would definately serve this to guests. I think this is our "go-to" recipe for a quick, easy supper.
- 05/13/2010
- This may just replace my go-to mac & cheese recipe! I crushed a clove of garlic instead of using the oil fried it along with the bread crumbs. A nice, complex garlic flavor came through just fine. The addition of 2 cups frozen broccoli to the mac & cheese is also a great addition. Excellent recipe, KAF!
