I'd never tried Make-Ahead Mac-n-Cheese before, but figured it was worth a shot! I wondered: Could I make my easy Mac-n-Cheese for a crowd, then put it in the crock pot to stay warm? After all, I didn't want to be a slave to the stove just as my guests were arriving.
Obviously it worked marvelously, otherwise I wouldn't be here telling you about it. I definitely feel that this dish is best fresh, right off the stove. But the day I was feeding 25 teens, I needed a side I could make ahead and keep warm. Access 2010 mac free download. As it turns out, we can make Creamy Mac and Cheese en mass, then put it in a crock pot to stay warm until serving time.
Preheat oven to 400°. Microwave milk at HIGH for 1 1/2 minutes. Melt butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-low heat; whisk in flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Macaroni and cheese is so easy to cook in the pressure cooker that you won't want to make the boxed stuff again! This creamy recipe is a delicious basic pressure cooker mac and cheese with bacon. Feel free to use it as a starting point for a customized mac and cheese.
A few small details about making Mac-n-Cheese for a Crowd: Plan to use lots of sea salt. It can be rather bland otherwise. I even go the extra mile and stir in some garlic powder for a little extra pazazz.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: When making this Creamy Mac and Cheese, always remove it from the heat BEFORE you add the cheese. It's not difficult, but breaking this creamy mac-n-cheese rule will give you weirdly textured pasta. So cook your pasta in the milk, slide it off the heat, then add cheese. See how simple?
Make-Ahead Mac-n-Cheese for a Crowd
- 32 ounces dry pasta (I use whole wheat noodles)
- 6½ cups whole milk
- Sea salt to taste (1-2 teaspoons)
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 3-4 cups shredded cheese (I use Colby jack; cheddar is also great)
Crock Pot Mac And Cheese For 50
- Make-Ahead Mac and Cheese Make-Ahead Mac and Cheese. I have been making this recipe for over 50 years, and still love it. However, I use extra sharp cheddar,.
- Once you have the macaroni cooked and drained, place in a large bowl and while still hot and add the cheddar. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and add to the macaroni mixture. Pour macaroni mixture into a casserole dish and bake for 30 to 45 minutes. Top with additional cheese if desired.
- Best mac and cheese ever! The second time I made it I added crumbled bacon and gouda cheese, I also used 50/50 cream and milk and it was even better. It could be a meal by itself.
- Mix pasta, milk, sea salt, and garlic powder in a large sauce pan. (I've found it best to divide ingredients into two large pots for faster and more even cooking.)
- Cook over medium-high heat stirring almost constantly until the pasta is tender (10-15 minutes).
- Remove from heat. (IMPORTANT!)
- Add cheese and stir until melted.
- Transfer Mac-n-Cheese to a large (6-8 quart) crock pot.
- Keep warm at 'lo' setting for up to three hours.
- Stir in a bit more milk at serving time as needed.
When making a large amount of Mac-n-Cheese like this, I usually use this variety of whole wheat elbow noodles.
Need more ideas for cooking for a crowd? Check out this link:
44 Meals to Feed a Large Crowd
Did you download a free Simple Ingredients list yet? Keep all the basic ingredients on hand that you need to put together delicious, Simple Meals!
When you're taking on a project like making Macaroni and Cheese for 100, you better have a friend to help you.
Angel and I were organizing the food for a huge community carnival this past weekend and things were going well. On the menu: Hmong Egg Rolls, Enchiladas with Rice and Beans and Inari Sushi, all prepared by different ethnic groups in our area. Then, we heard the Mac and Cheese makers couldn't do it this year. Since the kids love homemade macaroni and cheese, we decided we'd take on the challenge ourselves.
Because our schedules were hard to match up, Angel and I decided to separately each cook a batch for 50 people. But I've found that even when I'm not actually cooking with someone, it helps enormously to still have a 'virtual' partner to exchange ideas and give each other advice. We chose a recipe and talked by phone about where we'd get ingredients. When I cooked a day earlier, I e-mailed how I'd altered the recipe a bit and how many pans I used. We each had our kids 'taste test' our batches.
When we arrived at the carnival, we shared a prep kitchen with all the other cooks. At one time, there must have been at least ten people in the kitchen–egg rolls frying on top of the stove, macaroni and cheese warming up in the oven, other dishes being readied on the counters.
- 32 ounces dry pasta (I use whole wheat noodles)
- 6½ cups whole milk
- Sea salt to taste (1-2 teaspoons)
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 3-4 cups shredded cheese (I use Colby jack; cheddar is also great)
Crock Pot Mac And Cheese For 50
- Make-Ahead Mac and Cheese Make-Ahead Mac and Cheese. I have been making this recipe for over 50 years, and still love it. However, I use extra sharp cheddar,.
- Once you have the macaroni cooked and drained, place in a large bowl and while still hot and add the cheddar. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and add to the macaroni mixture. Pour macaroni mixture into a casserole dish and bake for 30 to 45 minutes. Top with additional cheese if desired.
- Best mac and cheese ever! The second time I made it I added crumbled bacon and gouda cheese, I also used 50/50 cream and milk and it was even better. It could be a meal by itself.
- Mix pasta, milk, sea salt, and garlic powder in a large sauce pan. (I've found it best to divide ingredients into two large pots for faster and more even cooking.)
- Cook over medium-high heat stirring almost constantly until the pasta is tender (10-15 minutes).
- Remove from heat. (IMPORTANT!)
- Add cheese and stir until melted.
- Transfer Mac-n-Cheese to a large (6-8 quart) crock pot.
- Keep warm at 'lo' setting for up to three hours.
- Stir in a bit more milk at serving time as needed.
When making a large amount of Mac-n-Cheese like this, I usually use this variety of whole wheat elbow noodles.
Need more ideas for cooking for a crowd? Check out this link:
44 Meals to Feed a Large Crowd
Did you download a free Simple Ingredients list yet? Keep all the basic ingredients on hand that you need to put together delicious, Simple Meals!
When you're taking on a project like making Macaroni and Cheese for 100, you better have a friend to help you.
Angel and I were organizing the food for a huge community carnival this past weekend and things were going well. On the menu: Hmong Egg Rolls, Enchiladas with Rice and Beans and Inari Sushi, all prepared by different ethnic groups in our area. Then, we heard the Mac and Cheese makers couldn't do it this year. Since the kids love homemade macaroni and cheese, we decided we'd take on the challenge ourselves.
Because our schedules were hard to match up, Angel and I decided to separately each cook a batch for 50 people. But I've found that even when I'm not actually cooking with someone, it helps enormously to still have a 'virtual' partner to exchange ideas and give each other advice. We chose a recipe and talked by phone about where we'd get ingredients. When I cooked a day earlier, I e-mailed how I'd altered the recipe a bit and how many pans I used. We each had our kids 'taste test' our batches.
When we arrived at the carnival, we shared a prep kitchen with all the other cooks. At one time, there must have been at least ten people in the kitchen–egg rolls frying on top of the stove, macaroni and cheese warming up in the oven, other dishes being readied on the counters.
Catering Mac And Cheese For 50 People
How did it go? I measure the success based on the little boy who came back for thirds of our Mac and Cheese, and by the fact that we sold every last delicious bit.
Mac and Cheese for A Crowd
Makes 100 Servings
8 lbs. elbow macaroni
8 lbs. cheddar cheese, shredded for sauce
1 1/2 lbs. margarine (trans fat-free)
3 cups flour
2 gallons whole milk, minus six cups
8 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
7 lbs cheddar cheese, shredded (for topping–use more or less depending on how cheesy you want the top to be)
Mac And Cheese For 50
Cook macaroni until slightly firm. Drain and set aside in baking pans. Studio desk for recording music. In a large pot, melt margarine and add flour, salt, pepper and milk. Stir until smooth. Add cheese for sauce, stirring until well-blended. Pour sauce over macaroni, and mix gently. Sprinkle cheese topping over each dish. Bake for about one hour at 350 degrees, or until hot and bubbly and slightly browned on top.
