Getting Creative With Macaroni And Cheese

Macaroni and cheese is a delicious meal or side dish and is incredibly easy to make. You can buy boxed mixes that include the noodles and a cheese mixture, probably with a bunch of artificial flavors or you can make your own macaroni and cheese from scratch. Whenever you choose to make it from scratch, you will end up with a more flavorful, and probably nutritious, dish. Whether you are using your favorite mix or making your mac and cheese from your favorite recipe, there are plenty of ways to take this simple dish and make it exciting.

Changing The Cheese

Typically, people will make macaroni and cheese with cheddar or American cheese. If you want to get creative, you can either swap these cheeses out for another one or add in a few of your favorites. Just be sure that you pick a cheese that will actually melt. Cheeses which are known for their ability to melt in a smooth and flowing manner include Cheddar, Asiago, Muenster, Gouda, blue cheese, Monterey Jack, Harvati, Gruyere, Fontina, Emmentaler, and soft-ripened cheeses, but remember that the rind of cheese won’t melt so if you are using Camembert or Brie, you should remove it first.

Changing The Noodle

When most people think of mac and cheese, they picture a hearty dish featuring elbow macaroni. While that is a great option, you can actually use any type of noodle you want. Try to stick to smaller noodles, although if you are really adventurous you could try spaghetti. Most people, however, would recommend sticking to options like rotini, penne, shells, cavatappi, farfalle, campanelle, or orecchiette. If you want to make a truly interesting dish to show off your creativity, combine some of your favorite types of noodles.

Adding Extra Ingredients

To truly let the creativity flow when making macaroni and cheese, try throwing in some extra ingredients. Cut up hot dogs are a popular option, but you can also make classy combinations of macaroni and cheese, including ones that would impress at an adult dinner party. If you want to make your dish with blue cheese, try throwing in some buffalo sauce and smoked chicken. Or to give your dish an Italian flair, make it with mozzarella cheese, basil, roasted tomato, and roasted garlic. An upscale option would be to take a basic macaroni and cheese with Swiss cheese and add parsley, bacon, and mussels. When it comes to adding ingredients or coming up with combinations, simply think of your favorite cheese dish and then try mixing some of those ingredients to create macaroni and cheese that is reminiscent of that plate.