quick and easy macaroni cheese recipe please?

[umbungo]

also...can i use any pasta, i have penne and shells in cupboard, or do i have to find macaroni specific pasta??

TIA

[SmugColditz]

COOK NORMAL PASTA AS NORMAL

IN A SAUCEPAN, MIX A TABLESPOON OF MELTED BUTTER WITH 2 TABLESPOONS OF FLOUR, AND MIX UNTIL IT FORMS A DOUGH

VERY SLOWLY ADD MILK UNTIL YOU HAVE A SAUCE TEXTURE]

ADD A STRONG CHEDDAR, GRATED, SUCH AS CATHEDRAL CITY, AND STIR IN

FOR EXTRA DELICIOUSNESS, ADD SOME SOFTENED ONIONS AND GARLIC, OR NICE HAM, OR FRIZZLED BACON.

[BCNS]

as with smug.. but I add a little mustard to the cheese sause and a little black pepper.

also nice to add broccoli and cauli, with the bacon

[SmugColditz]

DO waht bcns says, because so do I and I forgot that

about half a teaspoon of English mustard. soory

[CostaRicanCod]

make cheese sauce
add pasta

whats to know?

[ladytophamhatt]

was just going to say "make cheese sauce, and add pasta" but I see cod already has.

[hairycaterpillar]

Heat milk use cornflour to thicken if not enough time to make a rue then chuck in grated cheese. Add s+p and grated nutmeg or mustard to taste.

[hairycaterpillar]

...oh and then add cooked pasta and mix!

[DonDons]

also nice with tuna

[RubySlippers]

a pinch of cumin or mustard powder in the cheese sauce is very nice

[hairycaterpillar]

any pasta will do really.

[2loudboys]

If really pushed and no cholesterol problem, melt cheese and tsp of Colman's mustard into double cream instead of making cheese sauce .

[SmugColditz]

OI you sarky lot

NOT everyone knows how to make a cheese sauce, or any sauce. We're not all as crumbly and ancient as you and some of us were raised by packet cooks.

[lulumama]

the mustard is crucial to the recipe !

or if you are lazy, then a variation on 2loudboys theme is creme fraiche and grated cheese stirred in.. it is a bit sharper than with cream...

[umbungo]

thanks!

thought it was probably easy, but thought you guys would have some foolproof ideas and some variation.

thanks colditz- i was packet raised on this type of stuff. it only occured to me the other day tnat i could make it from scratch.

(there was a thread on dhal the other day, and where i'm from that practical as basic as you can get. so i think the comments saying make cheese sauce then just add pasta, are a little unfair)

anyhow, thanks for the recipes!

[lulumama]

i started a thread about dahl!

[yowza]

If I'm really lazy, I just cook pasta normally, add some frozen peas at last minute to boiling water, drain water, grate cheese into pan of pasta with a nob of butter and mix. Very quick.

[stroppyknickers]

Remove from cardboard, pierce film, pop and ping. Delicious every time.

[umbungo]

just reporting back to say, that mac and cheese went down very well!!
added mustard, fried onion and garlic, and it was lovely. (with some salad, just to even out the fat content!)

thanks!!
and now i know how to make cheese sauce!

(oh and couldn't be bothered with grating, so blitzed the cheese in the mini blender!)

think i'll have it as an emergency-cupboards-are-bare-dinner in future.

[pinata]

just to add - thyme is a very tasty addition, if you fancy a variation...

[TsarChasm]

I sprinkle in mild curry powder (as much or little as you like) to macaroni cheese.

[Seeline]

You can make the sauce by putting the flour, marg and milk into the saucepan at the same time and just keep stirring. It saves all that mucking about with a roux!

[ItsAllaBitNoisy]

This made me hungry, so went off to make some... NO PASTA??! For the first time in about 10 years I have no pasta in my cupboard. (Except lasagne sheets which might be a bit odd..)