Reviewed: May 20, 2012

Best mac and cheese I've ever tasted! Before tasting it, I thought I'd never make it again, because it's fairly labor intensive. It's worth it!! My changes: 1 whole 1-lb. box of macaroni, only 1/4 c. onion to please my daughter, didn't have garlic, so I used 1 t. garlic powder, only 1/4 t. liquid smoke, and I ussed mozzarella instead of Swiss. Tastes amazing!!

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Reviewer:

kprete

Reviewed: May 2, 2012

This dish was a real hit at dinner last night. As others recommended, I omitted the flour and was glad I did as it was a bit dry even without it (hence the 4 out of 5 stars)! A very pleasing flavor and texture. I added bacon bits and used panko instead of breadcrumbs. definitely making this again! Eating the leftovers for lunch right now! :-)

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Reviewer:

jsmacky

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Kalispell, Montana, USA

Living In: Grand Junction, Colorado, USA

Reviewed: Jan. 14, 2012

As suggested by others, I added a little more milk for maximum creaminess. I didn't have mustard powder, so I used regular yellow mustard. Deeee-licious!

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Reviewer:

pinkpoodle79

Reviewed: Dec. 14, 2011

I loved this recipe! I made it for my boyfriend for a special dinner and he loved it so much and speaks of it often (enough that I've made it again). I did my own thing with the cheeses, I personally love gouda so chose to substitute that in for one of the cheese (it turned out amazing). I also added some cooked bacon pieces to give it a smokey flavor. All in all, it is amazing. Try it out!

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Reviewer:

aggyjean

Reviewed: Dec. 4, 2011

This was delicious. It takes a little time but the end result is totally worth it. My kids have been begging me to make this again.

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Reviewer:

somethings_cookin

Reviewed: Nov. 13, 2011

this recipe is GREAT! I have tried it using so many different cheeses and it always comes out amazing! I've used habenero pepper infused cheddar cheese or pepper jack when I want a little kick to it. I also put a bit of cayenne pepper it complements the smoke without being too spicy. I love using seriously sharp cheddar because it adds to the smoke. If you don't like liquid smoke try using apple-wood smoked cheddar. It's amazing! thanks for sharing this recipe it's rotating my menu pretty frequently and it's not so expensive to make!!! Gracias!!! :)))

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Reviewer:

anaaprice20

Reviewed: Sep. 20, 2011

I still must tweek this recipe a bit to my own personal taste, but it has the basics of a GREAT M&C dish! The idea of the cream cheese is genius and makes a real difference in the creaminess of the finished product. FIVE stars!

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Reviewer:

AIREDALER

Cooking Level: Expert

Reviewed: Aug. 24, 2011

Very cheese! We left out the liquid smoke thinking it would make it taste odd. After cooking it I can see how the smoke flavor could complement the cheese flavor. This is a good mac and cheese base recipe. You could add different cheeses or even meats to change the flavor. We are making it again this weekend and will be adding rotisserie chicken pieces to it. We are also thinking smoked salmon would also be a good addition.

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Reviewer:

Andrew Thompson

Reviewed: Aug. 24, 2011

This is the BEST baked mac and cheese I have ever had/made! Followed the resume for the most part- just didn't have parmesan cheese so I used more mild and sharp cheddar cheese. Also used evaporated milk instead of half and half. Grated asiago cheese on top along with the bread crumbs. Bread crumbs are a MUST. This is SOOO good and exactly how baked mac and cheese should taste!

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Reviewer:

cst13

Reviewed: Jul. 24, 2011

I made this along with meatloaf tonight and it was amazing! I don't know what those 1 star raters are talking about. I did make a change or two. The first change I made was to the roux. I did not add 1/4 cup flour because in my experience with making mac and cheese, too much flour will make it dry no matter how much liquid you use. I instead melted the butter, cooked the onion and garlic then slowly drizzled in the flour and stopped at a certain point. Then after that I let it cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Then I added the milk and half and half and cooked for ten minutes. After that I did the following in order with the pan on low on the stove: I added the cream cheese, stirring until the mixture was smooth, then I added the Parmesan and mixed until smooth, then I added the cheddar in three parts, mixing until smooth after every addition, then I added the Monterrey jack in three parts, stirring until smooth after every addition, then added the Swiss in three parts, stirring until smooth after every addition. Then I added the pasta. I omitted the smoked flavor and the bread crumb topping and I added seasoning salt and black pepper to the roux before I added the cheese. This was a nice recipe and there is no reason why, if you follow my tips, that you cannot achieve smooth sauce. Remember, adding cold ingredients to a hot sauce when the pan is off the stove is going to yield griddy results. This is just experience over 19 years, I started when I was 8 years old.

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