Lip Smackin Mac N Cheese Recipes

NICKEL DINER SMAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until just al dente. Drain and toss with a little butter or olive oil to keep from sticking.
• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk to create a roux. Cook for a minute or so, whisking frequently, until mixture looks like wet sand. Slowly pour in milk, whisking constantly, until roux is incorporated. Whisk in Dijon. Add mozzarella, 16 ounces pepper jack and all but 4 ounces Parmesan. Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is smooth and all the cheese has melted, the sauce is thick and you are able to draw a line through it on the back of a spoon, 15 to 20 minutes. Add Spice Mix and hot sauce and stir again to make sure seasoning is evenly distributed.
• Combine the drained pasta with the cheese sauce in a large bowl, mixing well. Pour into the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining 8 ounces pepper jack cheese and the Roasted Tomato quarters. Finish topping with the remaining 4 ounces Parmesan and Buttered Breadcrumbs. Bake until the top is bubbly and browned, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Place salt, cayenne, chile powders, cumin and turmeric in a food processor and grind until well blended. Store in a sealed container.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place diced bread cubes in a bowl. Melt butter in a small saucepan and add parsley and garlic, stirring until garlic cooks slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour mixture over diced bread cubes and toss until blended. Place mixture on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool. Place in a large plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin until mixture is crumbly.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Toss cut tomatoes in a large bowl along with olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and thyme. Place tomatoes cut-side down on a parchment-lined sheet pan and roast until the tomato skins are blistered and wrinkled, 10 to 15 minutes. When tomatoes are cool enough to handle, remove skins and set aside.

LIP-SMACKIN' MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• On a cutting board use a sharp knife to cut onion into small pieces (you should have 1/3 cup). Reserve until Step 3.
• Tear cheese slices into bite-size pieces. Save until Step 5.
• Cook macaroni in a saucepan following the package directions, except add onion to water along with the uncooked macaroni so they cook together.
• (To test macaroni for doneness, remove one piece with a wooden spoon, let it cool slightly, and bite into it. The center will be soft, not chewy.)
• When macaroni is cooked, turn off burner.
• Remove saucepan from burner.
• Place colander in sink.
• Carefully pour macaroni mixture into the colander to drain water.
• Return warm macaroni mixture to saucepan.
• Use wooden spoon to stir in American cheese, milk, and pepper.
• Put saucepan on a burner.
• Turn the burner to medium heat.
• Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted, stirring all the time.
• Turn off burner.
• Remove saucepan from burner.
• If mixture is too thick, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons additional milk.
• Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if you like.
• VEGETABLE STIR-INS: Add 1/2 cup frozen peas or frozen mixed vegetables or 1 cup frozen sliced carrots or frozen chopped broccoli to the saucepan along with the onion, macaroni, and water.
• MEAT STIR-INS: Add 1/2 cup chopped cooked ham, chopped sliced pepperoni, sliced hot dogs, or chopped cooked chicken along with the cheese and milk.
• Serve with tossed salad greens with your favorite salad dressing and milk.

LIP-SMACKIN' BBQ CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine the first 11 ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove half of the sauce; reserve for brushing chicken. Keep remaining sauce warm for serving., Grill chicken, covered, over medium heat 25-35 minutes or until juices run clear, turning occasionally and brushing with reserved sauce during the last 10 minutes. Serve with remaining sauce.

LIP SMACKIN' MAC-N-CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F, lightly butter a deep 2 ½ quart casserole dish.
• Cook the elbow noodles according to the package, adding the vegetable oil and garlic salt.
• While the noodles are cooking dice and mix up the cheeses and set aside.
• Drain the noodles well and return to cooking pot.
• In a small saucepan, melt the stick of butter, set aside.
• Add the milk, sour cream and all but ½ cup of the cheeses.
• Season the mixture with the salt, pepper and Zatarain's © Creole Seasoning. Combine the mixture until it is blended.
• Transfer the macaroni mixture to the buttered casserole dish. Pour the eggs over top of the macaroni mixture. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of shredded cheese on top. Pour the melted butter over top of the cheeses.
• Bake for about 1 hour. After about 20 minutes of baking, stir the mixture then continue to bake until the top is brown.

SMOKED MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a pizza pan with aluminum foil; lay bacon strips on top.
• Bake bacon in the preheated oven until browned and crisp, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain.
• Drain bacon slices on paper towels and allow to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Place in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until crumbly.
• Preheat a smoker to 275 to 300 degrees F (135 to 150 degrees C). Add wood chips according to manufacturer's directions.
• Mix together cream, Cheddar cheese, Colby-Jack cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, butter, and barbeque rub in the warm pasta pot; add drained macaroni. Mix well and let the cheese melt. Pour into a 9x13-inch aluminum pan and sprinkle bacon on top.
• Place the pan on the rack in the preheated smoker. Cook until cheese is bubbly, about 3 1/2 hours.