Homemade Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipes

Different shapes and sizes of macaroni, baked in a pool of cheese and milk; now that's what I call a feast. Macaroni is a machine-made dry pasta. It's shorter than spaghetti and hollow, containing no eggs. Its origin is debatable, with both Greece and Italy laying claim.

Cheese is an ancient food, its origin dating back to 8000 BCE. Calcium-rich cheese also contains a great deal of nutrients like protein and phosphorus. Homemade macaroni can provide nutrition, simply by adding a whole variety of vegetables and cheese to it. Try these out.

Ingredients:

• Tunnel-shaped macaroni, 1 packet
• Milk, ⅓ cup
• Processed cheese, cubed, 1 pound
• Condensed cream of mushroom soup, 10 ounces
• Butter, 1 tbsp

Boil macaroni in a large pot (add some salt), until 'just about soft'. Preheat the oven. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine milk, cheese, mushroom soup, and butter. Stir until the cheese has melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the cooked macaroni and pour it into a baking dish. Bake until top is golden brown. Serve hot with your choice of bread.

Ingredients:

• Shell-shaped macaroni, 1 large box
• Ripe red tomatoes, pureed, 1.12 oz
• Large eggs, 2
• Cheddar cheese, 1 block
• Butter, 2 tbsps

Method: Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Cook and strain the macaroni. In a baking dish, layer the cheese and macaroni separately; ending with the cheese layer. Beat eggs and tomatoes in a small bowl, and pour over the macaroni. Bake until the tomatoes, cheese, and egg layer at top is crispy. Serve hot.

Ingredients:

• Sausages, sliced, 1 small packet of your choice
• Spaghetti, 1 medium packet
• Onion, grated, 1
• Tomatoes, chopped, 2
• Cheese, grated 1 large block
• Peppercorn, 1 tsp

• Fresh basil, 1 tsp
• Garlic, 2-3 cloves
• Butter, 1 tbsp

Method: In a large saucepan, melt butter. Add to it garlic, peppercorn, onion, tomatoes, and basil. Once soft, puree all. Boil the macaroni, with some salt, till cooked. Drain well, combine with the pureed mixture in a baking dish. Layer the grated cheese and sausages, alternately. Bake at 300ºF. Serve hot.

Ingredients:

• Elbow macaroni, 8 ounces
• American cheese, 4 ounces
• Parmesan cheese, shredded, 2 ounces
• Cheddar cheese, shredded, 8 ounces
• Butter, 4 tbsps
• Green onions, thinly sliced, 6 to 8
• Garlic, finely minced, 1 clove

• Parsley, chopped, 1 tbsp
• Ham, diced, 12 to 16 ounces
• Flour, 3 tbsps
• Beer, 1 cup
• Milk, 2 cups

Ingredients for Topping:

• Soft fresh bread crumbs, ¾ cup
• Butter, melted, 2 tbsps
• Sweet paprika as needed

Method: Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF and grease the baking tray well. Boil pasta in salted water, drain and keep aside. In a large saucepan, heat butter. Gradually add onions, garlic, parsley, ham and saute it. Add flour and beer, stirring continuously; make sure no lumps are formed.

Add in milk and the cheeses. Cook until sauce has thickened and the cheese has melted. Add salt and pepper to taste. Combine the cooked pasta and spoon it in the baking dish. Sprinkle the topping ingredients over the casserole. Bake until topping is lightly browned. Serve hot.