This recipe comes from my grandmother, whose Old Fashioned Mac and Cheese was her mother’s recipe. I think it’s really special, and I know you and your family will adore this dish.
Would you believe that the original recipe for Old Fashioned Mac and Cheese was brought back to America after Thomas Jefferson visited France, returning to America with a whole book full of fancy dishes that became popular in America after that.
There’s something you’ll begin to notice the longer you cook–the best and most authentic recipes have very few ingredients. They’ll call for high quality ingredients but less spices other than salt and pepper.
This recipe ticks all those boxes–it’s low on ingredients and easy to make but high on flavor and really satisfying. Every time a friend has a cookout and I bring a baking dish full of this, I get a mob of people asking for this recipe.
The best chefs make their mac and cheese with aged, sharp cheddar, adding in one or two melting cheeses, like the kind you put in fondue–say, emmental, Gruyère, or Gouda.
If you like a buttery, crunch top, toast some panko bread crumbs in real butter, and make a thick topping for your mac and cheese, adding that about 2/3rds of the way through the bake and tenting foil on top. It’s a simply heavenly variation on Old Fashioned Mac and Cheese.
Ingredients
- 4 cups macaroni, cooked
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 cups mild cheddar cheese, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 3 cups milk
Instructions
Prep time – 20 minutes
Cooking time – 50 minutes
Yields – 6-8 servings
Step 1: Preheat your oven to a cozy 350 degrees Fahrenheit to get things started.
Step 2: In a large bowl, lovingly combine the warm, cooked macaroni with butter, cheese, salt, and pepper until everything is nicely coated and friendly.
Step 3: Transfer the macaroni mixture into a greased 1 1/2 quart baking dish, spreading it out evenly like a cozy blanket.
Step 4: Whisk together the beaten eggs and milk until fully blended, then gently pour this over the macaroni, letting it seep through all the nooks and crannies.
Step 5: Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set. Patience is key here – it’s worth the wait!
FAQs & Tips
You can make your macaroni the night before and store it in the refrigerator, leaving some water in the bottom of the glass container or plastic baggy so it doesn’t dry out. You can also pre-shred your cheese. Otherwise, it’s pretty quick to put together.
You can keep mac and cheese in a tightly sealed container refrigerated for three days (because of the eggs, don’t go over). Or freeze it in a freezer-safe container, tightly sealed for three months.
The secret to adding cheese without it getting grainy is to grate block cheese finely and only add a handful at a time, fully stirring after each add. Believe me, it makes all the difference in its texture.
Government cheese. You’ve seen that before, right? It’s like Velveeta. Both work great for mac and cheese.
One secret to great cooking is to add just enough flavor enhancers that you cannot distinguish them, you just know your macaroni and cheese tastes better than ever. Home chefs in the know swear by adding just a touch of garlic powder, vinegar-based hot sauce, and a teensy bit of mustard powder. Try it.
Serving Suggestions
I serve this with my Healthy Oven Fried Chicken or on the side with a serving of my Chicken Pot Pie Recipe for Two (I just triple the recipe and freeze leftovers). Because I have kids and everyone wants more than one piece of that yummy pot pie and mac and cheese. Be ready for a quiet dinner table for once–cause everybody’s going to be too busy eating to talk. After dinner, my amazing Orange “Scream” Dream Dessert or, my personal favorite for breakfast, lunch, or dinner dessert, No-Bake French Vanilla Chocolate Eclair.
Old Fashioned Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to a cozy 350 degrees Fahrenheit to get things started.
- In a large bowl, lovingly combine the warm, cooked macaroni with butter, cheese, salt, and pepper until everything is nicely coated and friendly.
- Transfer the macaroni mixture into a greased 1 1/2 quart baking dish, spreading it out evenly like a cozy blanket.
- Whisk together the beaten eggs and milk until fully blended, then gently pour this over the macaroni, letting it seep through all the nooks and crannies.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set. Patience is key here – it’s worth the wait!
