Top with the remaining 1½ cups cheddar cheese and ½ cup gruyere. Stir in the cooked macaroni and mix until combined, then pour into the prepared baking dish. Remove from the heat and stir in the salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups of cheddar cheese, and 1½ cups gruyere. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture starts to bubble and thicken. While whisking, slowly pour in the hot milk. Once it is bubbling, add in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Melt the butter in the same pot you used to cook the paste. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat.Transfer to a colander, rinse under cold water, and set aside. The Best Stovetop Mac and Cheese is made with three different cheeses and done on the stovetop. Cook the macaroni for 2-3 minutes less than the box calls for, so that it is very al dente. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.Separate out 1½ cups of grated cheddar and ½ cup of gruyere and reserve.Combine it with the bread cubes in a medium bowl and toss to combine. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan and set aside. Make it for your V day celebrations or just DINNER. Next time I would probably add some finely chopped broccoli florets or peas just to sneak a veggie in there, but otherwise I wouldn’t change a thing! Gently stir in the macaroni to coat with the cheese sauce. Remove the pot from the heat and add the grated cheeses to melt. Cook for 2 minutes until just creamy and starting to thicken, like a bchamel sauce. They have that buttery toasty flavor that bread takes on in a really good grilled cheese sandwich and it is magic. Add the warm milk, 1 cup at a time and whisk it into the roux. The base is just your classic mac and cheese with cheddar and gruyere making up the cheese sauce, but what really takes this above and beyond are the buttered croutons on top. It was labeled as a Genius Recipe by Food52, so it was the first place I turned. I’ve had Martha’s version of baked mac and cheese bookmarked for moonnnthhs now. Also, ANY EXCUSE TO MAKE MAC AND CHEESE, please and thank you, I’ll take it. It’s rare that she makes any dinner requests that don’t involve cookies or dried mango, so obviously I had to accommodate. She talked about it for the whole 6 block walk home and then at 3AM the following the night, which in 2 year old time is basically an eternity. Then a few months ago, Remy came home from school and requested mac and cheese. But no just straight up, classic, no frills version. Think harissa mac and cheese, pimiento mac and cheese, Mexican street corn mac and cheese. Since then I’ve experimented with different versions of mac and cheese that are a little off the beaten path. He was like…thanks, but where’s the artificial orange powder box stuff? The first time was definitely something with the word “best” or “ultimate” in it’s title, and probably from either Bon Appetit or Gourmet or Saveur or Food & Wine. It’s been a different version of mac and cheese every year. Mac and cheese is what I made on my first Valentine’s Day date with with the husband, and every year since! And I think it’s worked out? I mean, we’re still married (happily), so…… There is nothing that screams love more than a big homemade bowl of carbs and melted cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.Arguably one of the best baked mac and cheese recipes out there, Martha Stewart’s baked macaroni and cheese uses classic cheddar and gruyere to make a velvety sauce and is topped with delicious buttery croutons.If desired, slice a fresh jalapeño and place slices on top of the bread crumbs and dot with butter.Sprinkle on top of the noodles in an even layer. Mix the topping ingredients (panko, parmesan cheese, and 1 tablespoon melted butter) in a small bowl until combined.Add in the noodles until everything is well coated in the sauce, pour into the prepared dish and set aside.Once boiling, remove from heat and add in the dry mustard, cheddar cheese, gruyere cheese, jalapeños, and salt and pepper to taste.Bring the milk mixture to a boil over medium heat.Gradually add in the milk, whisking frequently.
Then whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. To the pot that the pasta was cooked in, add the butter until melted.Cook the noodles according to package directions, but cooking one minute under the directed time set aside.Reduce oven temperature to 350 and grease a medium-sized (3 quart) casserole dish.Preheat oven to 425 degrees and roast jalapeños by placing on an aluminum lined baked sheet and baking for 15-20 minutes, turning half-way though until they develop some color and are tender.