Best Easy 2 Step Skillet Mac N Cheese Recipes

SKILLET MAC & CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain., Meanwhile, in a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually whisk in cream. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat; stir in cheese until melted., Add macaroni; cook and stir until heated through. Top as desired.

TWO-CHEESE MAC 'N CHEESE

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook pasta according to package directions. , Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic if desired; cook and stir for 1 minute. Stir in flour, pepper and salt until blended; cook and stir until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk, stirring until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes longer or until thickened. , Remove from heat. Stir in 4 cups cheddar cheese and Asiago cheese until melted. Mixture will thicken. , Preheat oven to 350°. Drain pasta; stir in cheese sauce. Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese., Bake, uncovered, 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

SIMPLE MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes. Drain.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; stir in flour, salt, and pepper until smooth, about 5 minutes. Slowly pour milk into butter-flour mixture while continuously stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Add Cheddar cheese to milk mixture and stir until cheese is melted, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Fold macaroni into cheese sauce until coated.

EASY 2-STEP SKILLET MAC 'N CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring water, milk, butter and Cheese Sauce Mix to boil in medium skillet on medium-high heat.
• Stir in Macaroni; cover. Simmer on low heat 10 min. or until macaroni is tender. Remove from heat. Let stand 2 min. before serving.

CAST-IRON MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat broiler. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (covered to speed things up). Heat a large cast-iron skillet (8 to 10 inches across, and 2 inches or more deep) over low heat.
• 2. When the water boils, add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. Set a timer, since you'll be distracted by the next steps.
• Use a thick potholder with that skillet! Cast iron gets very, very hot. After burning my hand one too many times, I learned to pull a small dishtowel through the hole in the skillet's handle. It serves as a good visual reminder-just be sure it's kept well away from the flame. One of my mom-testers offered another bit of advice: Always use two (potholdered) hands when picking up a cast-iron pan. Otherwise, you might casually try to grab it with your free, bare, hand. Ow.
• 3. While the pasta cooks, make the cheese sauce: Put the butter into the now very-hot skillet. It should melt, foam, and begin to brown almost immediately. Pour in the milk, then add the mustard, paprika, and salt, and whisk together.
• 4. Set aside 1/2 cup of the grated cheese for topping the final dish. Begin to add the rest of the cheese to the skillet, one handful at a time, whisking between each addition. When it has all melted, sift the flour over the skillet, one tablespoon at a time, whisking after each spoonful. Stop adding the flour when the sauce is almost as thick as housepaint.
• Easiest way to sift small amounts of flour: Use a regular old strainer.
• 5. Continue to cook the sauce, whisking constantly, until pasta is cooked. Drain the pasta well and add to the skillet, then remove from the heat.
• 6. Stir pasta and cheese sauce together until fully combined, then sprinkle the top with the reserved grated cheese. Broil until top is browned and bubbly, 4 to 6 minutes. Cool for a few minutes before serving.
• VARIATIONS
• • Go southwestern by adding a strained 10-ounce can of diced tomatoes and green chiles (such as Ro-Tel) or a generous cup of your favorite salsa, drained. Use Cheddar and Jack cheeses in the sauce. • Smoke it up by frying 2 diced strips of bacon in the skillet before adding the milk. Skip the butter completely. • Add 8 ounces frozen vegetables (your choice) to the pasta pot about 5 minutes before pasta is done. Since the water will take a little time to come back up to a boil, increase the cooking time by a minute or two. • Don't laugh, but a couple of diced hot dogs, cooked in the butter then removed until you stir it back in with the cooked pasta, makes for a surprisingly delicious twist. Use organic, kosher, or even tofu pups. • Make it secretly healthy by stirring a 10-ounce package of frozen butternut squash puree, defrosted, into the cheese sauce just before adding the pasta.

QUICK SKILLET MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook macaroni 8-10 minutes until al dente. Drain well and set aside.
• While the macaroni cooks, melt butter over medium heat in an oven safe skillet or saucepan.
• Add onion and cook, stirring often until soft and golden.
• Add flour and cook, stirring for 2 minutes until flour is combined and mixture is light brown.
• Whisking constantly, add cream slowly until well mixed. Stir in pepper, salt, nutmeg and garlic. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring.
• Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the cheese, a little at a time, until melted.
• Stir in the macaroni to coat with sauce. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and parsley on top.
• Place skillet under broiler for 2 or 3 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

SKILLET MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat broiler. In a large straight-sided, oven-safe skillet, melt butter. Remove 1 tablespoon butter and combine with breadcrumbs and Parmesan.
• Add onion to skillet and cook until softened. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Very gradually whisk in milk and bring to a simmer. Add macaroni and cook, stirring constantly and scraping bottom of pan, until tender, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in remaining cheese and the mustard, and season with salt and pepper. Top with breadcrumb mixture and broil until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.