Macaroni cheese which doesn't taste bland?

[Thelongdarkteatime]

I wondered if anyone had any nice recipes for a non-bland mac and cheese. My current one uses marscapone (sp?) and gruyere but just tastes really bland. I'm experimenting with recipes so that DS (11mo) can eat the same food as us - anyone got any suggestions?

That's two quite bland cheeses. I use my late DM's recipe which is adding a large chunk of grated Red Leicester to the roux with a good pinch of black pepper.

Also benefits from a big squirt of ketchup IMO, but that may just be me

I make a white sauce then add grated mature cheddar to taste.

Once the cheese has melted into the sauce I stir in about half a teaspoon of English mustard.

This is how my mum and granny made it. It's yummy and definitely not bland.

Also, I've successfully frozen leftovers before. I sprinkle a few teaspoons of water over it before heating in the microwave and giving it a good stir.

I always put at least 3 sorts of cheese in, and always include Boursin (the garlic and herb one). Tastes lovely!

all. I hadn't thought about mustard or garlic cheese; I'll give those a try (probably not at the same time!).
Anything to make it less like a big plate of beige bland!

Tons of extra mature cheddar and onion usually does the trick for me. I usually put mustard and a dash of Worcester sauce in too - or cayenne pepper.

mustard, extra strong mature cheddar, nutmeg, black pepper into normal white sauce. We are also very fond of some frozen spinach mixed into the cheese sauce. My DTS (who hates getting his hands dirty) eats this in enormous handfuls (he is 20mo so allowed!)

Top with breadcrumbs and sprinkle liberally with smoked paprika - sweet all over or hot on just half of it so you can give the non-spicy bit to the baby.

And replace the cheese with half matured cheddar and half emmenthal (does the melty thing and low in salt to balance out the cheddar)

This isn't strictly mac cheese but adding tinned tuna and chilli flakes make it quite yum.

Mature cheddar and a pinch of cayenne or paprika

I fry off some onions and add chopped cherry tomatoes to the mix before putting in the oven to bake!

I melt grated mature cheddar into a pot of cream with a teaspoon of Dijon mustard,a generous sprinkling of celery salt,likewise garlic sprinkles.My kids/adults love this.

Bacon

Extra mature cheddar, a sprinkle of salt and pepper (or salted butter in the white sauce), parmesan on top, and a dash of mustard.

I put a bit of mustard in mine and a stock cube. There's a really good recipe for it on Slimming World:

www.slimmingworld.com/recipes/cheats-leek-macaroni-cheese.aspx

Strong cheese and mustard powder. I love macaroni cheese, bacon and tomato on top - it's certainly not bland at my house. Also, some flaked smoked haddock suits it brilliantly.

I mix a teaspoon (or a bit less) of mustard and/or ketchup into the roux.
a little bit of curry (masala mix) powder is also nice.

I don't make a white sauce, I just add a little double cream to the hot pasta and then stir in grated cheddar, red leicester, pecorino or parmesan, and cubed mozzarella and some gorgonzola until the delicious gloopy cheesiness is all melted together.

Also petit pois and pancetta cubes that have been busy cooking together in olive oil separately.

Gently fry some pancetta in a pan until just starting to brown, add some thyme leaves and three or four sliced spring onions, cook for about three more mins. Remove pan from heat.

Add some Dolcelatte or Gorgonzola to your usual cheese sauce (honestly, even if you don't like blue cheese, it melts in and everyone loves it). My children love this sauce, and they hate blue cheese). Season as usual.

Add mixed mixtures to your pre-cooked macaroni, sprinkle some grated cheese on top, bake in oven as usual. Sprinkle with chopped parsley when it comes out (optional)

It is yummy (and we are not fans of Mac&Cheese)

Homemade cheese sauce, with a teensy bit of chicken oxo in it, poured over not macaroni but that tubey pasta that goes round on spirals of that makes sense?

Sprinkle top with grated cheese and crushed up ready salted crisps, then bake for however long the top takes to go golden and bubbly

I think I know what I'm having for dinner tonight...

Ohh I didn't see the bit about your 11mo..it might be a bit salty for him, sorry!

Plain crisps and low salt oxo? That could work..

i add bacon, sometimes leek, breadcrumbs and toms on top.
delicious.

and mustard, also frozen spinach

I second the strong cheese, and I make the white sauce with mustard powder ( Delias very old recipe!) I tend to make mine more into pasta bake- it always ends up with fried onion, lightly cooked broccoli spears and pancetta in mine :)

Onions.Garlic.Pepper. Cream of chicken soup and grated cheddar is my fail safe recipe