Baked Macaroni And Pimento Cheese Recipes

PIMIENTO MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs; drain.
• Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, mushrooms and 2 teaspoons thyme. Cook, tossing occasionally, until tender and beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the flour to coat the vegetables; cook 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and milk and bring to a boil, stirring, until the mixture is thick and creamy, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tuna and 1/2 cup pimiento cheese; stir until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Stir in the pasta until combined; season with salt and pepper.
• Dollop the remaining 1/2 cup pimiento cheese on the pasta mixture and broil until the cheese is melted and browned in spots, 1 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the cracker crumbs and remaining 1 teaspoon thyme and broil until the crackers begin to brown, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Let cool 10 minutes.

CLASSIC BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until it's barely al dente. (It should be more al dente than your average pasta: It's going to continue to cook in the oven.) Drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat butter in a medium pot over medium heat. (The pot should be large enough to hold all the pasta when cooked.) Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the flour is foamy and just starting to turn a light golden brown, about 4 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk to avoid clumping. Add garlic, paprika and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly and paying special attention to the edges of the pot to make sure the flour mixture is totally incorporated.
• Add grated cheese and whisk to blend until the cheese is completely melted. (The sauce will seem thick at first and thin out as the cheese melts; it will thicken while it bakes.) Season with salt and pepper and add cooked pasta, stirring to coat well.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil (to catch any cheesy drips).
• Make the optional topping: Combine bread crumbs, melted butter and Parmesan, if using, in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and, using your hands, mix well to ensure the bread crumbs are evenly coated.
• Transfer the macaroni and cheese mixture to a 3-quart or 9 x 13 baking dish and scatter bread crumbs, if using, evenly over the top. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake until macaroni and cheese is bubbling, thickened and creamy, and bread crumbs are evenly golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

PIMIENTO MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously brush a 2 1/2-to-3-quart baking dish with butter. Char red pepper over a gas flame on high (or, if you don't have a gas stove, on a rimmed baking sheet directly under the broiler) until blackened all over, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Transfer peppers to a bowl; cover with plastic wrap and let stand 10 minutes. Rub charred skin with a paper towel to remove. Peel, seed, and stem pepper, then cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
• Cook macaroni in a pot of generously salted boiling water until al dente, about 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain well; transfer to prepared baking dish. Mix in cubed cheese and 1/2 cup roasted red pepper (reserve remainder for another use).
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, mustard, cayenne, and nutmeg. Whisk in sour cream and eggs until smooth, then onion, half and half, cream, and Worcestershire until thoroughly combined. Pour over macaroni mixture; gently shake dish to blend. Sprinkle grated cheese evenly over top.
• Bake until set around edges but still loose in center, 25 to 30 minutes (do not overbake; mixture will continue setting as it cools). Let cool on a wire rack until set but still warm, 10 to 20 minutes. Serve.

PIMENTO MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325F and lightly butter a 10 inch cast iron skillet.
• Cook the pasta in plenty of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a medium heavy bottomed saucepan and whisk in the flour, paprika, and salt. Cook for a couple of minutes over medium heat, whisking constantly.
• While whisking, add the milk and cream slowly to avoid lumps. Whisk or stir with a silicone spoonula until all the milk and cream are incorporated. Keep cooking, stirring constantly, until the mixture ALMOST comes to a boil, and thickens. Do not let it boil.
• Remove the pan from the heat (this is important) and let it cool for a minute or two.
• Add the shredded cheese to the pot, stirring until the cheese has completely melted. This may take a few minutes. If necessary you can put the pot back on the stove to gently heat until the cheese melts.
• Stir in the pimentos and cooked pasta and turn into your buttered skillet.
• Mix the cracker crumbs with the melted butter until the crumbs are evenly saturated.
• Top with the crumb mixture, and bake for about 25 minutes, or until bubbling and golden.

PIMENTO MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with butter. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Drain, rinse under cold water and drain again.
• Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the panko and cook, stirring often, until golden and toasted, 3 to 5 minutes. Immediately remove from heat and set aside to cool.
• Melt remaining 8 tablespoons butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and jalapeño and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add flour and paprika, stir well, and cook until vegetables are coated, about 1 minute.
• While whisking, carefully stream in the milk until smooth and incorporated. Bring to a simmer while continuing to whisk. Simmer, whisking often, until thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add the Cheddar cheese, cream cheese and pimentos, and stir until the cheese is completely melted and smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Add cooked pasta and stir to coat. Transfer to the baking dish and spread evenly. Evenly sprinkle the toasted panko on top. Bake until golden and bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then serve.

SOUTHERN MACARONI AND PIMIENTO CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 F (180 C/Gas 4). Butter a 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish.
• Bring a large pot of about 4 quarts of water to a boil over high heat. Add about 1 tablespoon of salt to the water. Add the macaroni, reduce the heat to medium, and continue boiling until al dente** following package directions. Drain the macaroni well.
• In a bowl combine the mayonnaise, cream cheese, shredded cheese, drained pimientos, and grated onion. Mix the ingredients together until thoroughly blended. Taste and add salt and freshly ground black pepper, as needed. Add the hot drained macaroni and mix until well blended.
• Spoon the macaroni and pimiento cheese mixture into the prepared baking dish.
• Sprinkle the French fried onions over the casserole.
• Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the macaroni and cheese mixture is hot and bubbling around the edges and the topping is lightly browned and crispy.
• Serve with a simple tossed green salad or fresh sliced tomatoes, or serve it along with a holiday meal or Sunday dinner. *Diced pimientos come in small jars, and they're located in the vegetable section of most supermarkets. If you can't find pimientos or need to substitute, use roasted red bell peppers. To roast red bell pepper or fresh red pimiento peppers, place them on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake them in a preheated 500 F oven for about 30 minutes, turning frequently until all sides are charred. Remove the pan to a rack and cover with foil. Let stand for about 30 minutes. Quarter the peppers, remove stems, peels, and seeds. Chop the peeled peppers or slice into strips. Refrigerate roasted red peppers in oil for up to 2 weeks. **Al Dente: From the Italian, it means literally, "to the tooth." In the case of pasta, it means cooking it until it is still somewhat firm, or firm to the bite. You Might Also Like Macaroni and Cheese Croquettes Simple Macaroni and Cheese Jalapeno Macaroni and Cheese Sloppy Joe Macaroni and Cheese

BAKED MACARONI AND PIMENTO CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook macaroni according to the package; drain.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter.
• Whisk in flour gradually until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute.
• Gradually, whisk in the milk, salt, cayenne pepper and garlic powder. Cook,.
• while whisking frequently for 3-5 minutes or until thickened.
• Add cheddar cheese and pimentos; cook until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth.
• Remove from heat and stir in pasta.
• In a baking dish with cooking spray (9-by-13 in.), spoon pasta mixture.
• In a bowl, add parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Sprinkle over pasta mixture.
• Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden and bubbly!

PIMENTO MAC & CHEESE CUSTARD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Fill a large pot with the water and add 2 tablespoons salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, add the macaroni, and cook for about 5 minutes, until just shy of al dente. Drain and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the white and aged Cheddars and the Parmesan. Remove and reserve one-fourth of the cheese mix for the top. To the bowl with the rest of the cheese mix, add the macaroni, pimentos, and flour and mix well to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until blended, then whisk in the hot sauce, evaporated milk, half-and-half, and 2 teaspoons salt, mixing well. While whisking constantly, slowly add the béchamel to create a custard. Pour the custard evenly over the noodle mixture.
• Cover with a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil and bake for 50 minutes, rotating the dish 180 degrees halfway through baking. Uncover the dish. If you plan to eat the mac and cheese right away, sprinkle the reserved cheese on top. If you plan to freeze the dish, do not add the cheese. Continue to bake, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until set, golden, and bubbling. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
• TO FREEZE: Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until well chilled. Wrap the baking dish in two layers of plastic wrap, label and date, and freeze for up to 3 months.
• TO THAW: You can reheat this dish from frozen, or you can pull it out of the freezer and thaw it in the refrigerator for a minimum of 24 hours.
• TO REHEAT: If reheating from frozen, unwrap the dish, place in a cold oven, and set the oven to 350°F. When the oven reaches temperature, bake for 1½ hours, then sprinkle the surface with the remaining cheese mix and bake for 15 minutes longer, until bubbling. If reheating after thawing, cut the cook time to 30 to 45 minutes.