Creative Twists on Macaroni and Cheese

Adding new flavors and textures is a great way to take macaroni from boring to extraordinary. You don’t need to make an extra trip to the store to try Betty’s new takes on the comfort-food classic; in fact, you probably have most of the ingredients on hand already. Simply start with a basic macaroni recipe—like our top-notch Family-Favorite Macaroni and Cheese—and give it a new twist with any of the following ingredients.

Sprinkle on before baking:

• Mix ½ cup fresh or dried bread crumbs with 2 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil
• One-half cup crushed plain potato chips (flavored chips tend to get too brown if added before baking)
• One-half cup French-fried onions

Add just before removing from oven:

• One-half cup additional shredded cheese (bake 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted)

Sprinkle on about ½ cup of any of the following after baking—or serve alongside:

• Crushed plain or flavored croutons
• Crushed crackers, flavored potato chips or snack chips
• Chopped fresh parsley or other herbs
• Sliced or cubed avocado
• Thinly sliced or chopped tomatoes
• Salsa or sour cream
• Diced bell peppers
• Sliced olives

Keys to Success:

• Cook pasta before mixing with sauce. It will not get tender if added uncooked.
• Cook flour mixture until smooth and bubbly.
• Stir constantly while making sauce, so that the flour mixture thickens the milk evenly.
• Serve immediately so pasta will be creamy and not continue to soak up the sauce.

Swap the Cheese:
Use any of these cheeses in place of all or part of the cheddar in Betty’s Family-Favorite Macaroni and Cheese:

• Asiago or parmesan (up to 1 cup)
• Blue or gorgonzola crumbled (up to 1 cup)
• Brie crumbled (up to 1 cup)
• Cheddar (white or smoked)
• Colby
• Edam
• Fontina
• Gouda (regular or smoked)
• Gruyère
• Havarti
• Jarlsberg
• Manchego
• Monterey Jack or pepper jack
• Swiss