Ooey Gooey Mac and Cheese
I always say that the more cheese you can fit in your mac and cheese, the better True to form, this is one stellar recipe. We loved the addition of pepperjack, and the creaminess just cant be beat
I always say that the more cheese you can fit in your mac and cheese, the better True to form, this is one stellar recipe. We loved the addition of pepperjack, and the creaminess just cant be beat
- Carbohydrate 40.0201102083333 g
- Cholesterol 82.7366666666667 mg
- Fat 26.9609570833333 g
- Fiber 0.895489607150356 g
- Protein 24.3707916666667 g
- Saturated Fat 16.9087188541667 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (182g)
- Sodium 494.370847222222 mg
- Sugar 39.124620601183 g
- Trans Fat 1.51274364583333 g
- Calories 505 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350
- Cook pasta according to pasta directions just until done - you don't want it mushy, because it will absorb a little of the cheesy liquid in the oven.
- Combine soup, evaporated milk, butter, salt, and pepper in a large microwaveable bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, leaving a small vent, and cook for 6-7 minutes until the butter is melted and the mixture is warm-to-hot throughout. (If making a half batch, 4 minutes in the microwave should do it).
- Add to cooked pasta
- Add cheeses one at a time stirring constantly, until everything is melted and incorporated.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes.
- FOR CROCKPOT
- Follow directions 1-5 leave your crockpot on low and cook for 4 hours.
Freezing Mechanics for High-Fat Pasta Dishes
Most home cooks ruin a baked pasta dish by freezing it straight from the oven without considering how ice crystals disrupt starch granules. When water freezes inside cooked elbow macaroni, expanding crystals rupture the cell walls of the pasta, causing it to turn structurally weak and mushy upon thawing. Preventing this requires flash-freezing the assembled unbaked casserole or wrapping individual portions tightly in polyethylene film to limit moisture migration. Keeping freezer temperatures consistently at or below zero Fahrenheit reduces large ice crystal formation, preserving the structural integrity of the starch until you are ready to bake.
Thawing and Moisture Management
Transferring a frozen pan directly to a 350-degree oven creates a thermal shock that scorches the exterior before the center thaws. Safe thawing demands moving the dish to the refrigerator for 24 hours to let the temperature rise uniformly. Because starches continue to bind free liquid during storage, baked pasta often dries out considerably during chilling. Adding two tablespoons of whole milk or evaporated milk prior to reheating rehydrates the sauce matrix, restoring the initial viscosity without diluting the dairy solids.
Reestablishing the Cheese Emulsion
Applying direct, high-heat methods like a microwave often causes heavy fat emulsions to break, separating the butter and cheddar oils from the protein network. Covering the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil for the first 30 minutes traps steam, gently heating the interior before removing the cover to brown the top layer. Stirring the mixture vigorously halfway through the reheating process forces the separated fats back into suspension with the remaining liquid.
