Home Pizza and PastaPasta Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

by Jamie
This is a compensated review by BlogHer and Kraft.
Boy, do I have a scrumptious recipe for you all today. 
Creamy
Cheesy
Buttery
Baked
Macaroni and Cheese. 
If you are a fan of pure and simple comfort food, 
this is going to be your kind of dish!
I am pleased to present this recipe for you today as part of the  
Real Women Of Philadelphia Cooking Competition
(Visit the Official site for more details!)
The very fabulous and wonderful Paula Deen 
is the host for this contest. (She’s a pretty good lady, y’all.)  
Contest participants have the opportunity to submit
original recipe videos in four categories. 
Side Dish, Entree, Dessert and Appetizer. 
 16 finalists will be flown to Savannah, Georgia to meet Paula and compete in the final round.  Four lucky winners will walk away with $25,000 of prize money, one winner for each category. Last year Mandy, author of the blog “Gourmet Mom on the Go”
won the prize money. It was so fun to watch her cooking journey and to see such a wonderful gal win the prize. 
If you are interested in participating visit the Official site
and take a look at the details. The RWoP website is very interactive and offers you the chance to join a great cooking community. You never know what could happen. You just might have the winning recipe wandering around  up there in your tick tock. 
  
Now, on to the recipe!
1. Measure out your elbow macaroni. Bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil. Add 1 t salt and your elbow mac. Reduce the heat and cook until the pasta is al dente.
***NOTE*** You want the pasta to be firm in the center when you stop cooking it.  Otherwise you will get a pretty soggy mac and cheese.
2. Place your Philadelphia Cream Cheese (just half of the brick now) in a small bowl. Pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir it around to make it nice and smooth. 
3. In a large, deep skillet melt your butter over medium heat. 
4. Add the flour. 
 
Whisk the mixture around until it is nice and smooth and thick. 
 
5. Pour in your milk…keep whisking. 
6. Add the broth and continue to whisk the sauce. 
 
7. In just 2 or 3 short minutes of whisking you will get a thick sauce. Lovely!
8. Add 2 1/2 C of the cheddar cheese and the warm Philadelphia Cream Cheese.  Whisk it in and keep on a stirring it around.
 
The cheeses will melt after about 3 minutes. 
 
9. Add the elbow mac to the sauce. 
Stir to combine. Then pour it into a 9 x 9 baking pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
 
10. In a small food processor grind up the Ritz crackers into crumbs. 
 
11. Sprinkle the remaining 3/4 C of cheddar cheese over the creamy, saucy mac. 
 
 12. Pour the cracker crumbs over the top. 
13. Bake at 350 degrees (uncovered) for 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. 


Enjoy!

Creamy Macaroni and Cheese with Crispy Topping

Serves: 7-8 servgins Prep Time: Cooking Time:
Nutrition facts: NA calories NA fat
Rating: 5.0/5
( 1 voted )

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 C elbow macaroni
  • 1/2 C butter (one stick)
  • 1/2 C flour
  • 1/4 t salt
  • dash pepper
  • 2 1/3 C whole milk
  • 1/2 C chicken broth
  • 3 1/4 C cheddar cheese
  • 4 ounces Philadelphia Cream Cheese (half a brick)
  • 1 sleeve Ritz crackers

Instructions

1. Measure out your elbow macaroni. Bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil. Add 1 t salt and your elbow mac. Reduce the heat and cook until the pasta is al dente.
***NOTE*** You want the pasta to be firm in the center when you stop cooking it.  Otherwise you will get a pretty soggy mac and cheese.

2. Place your Philadelphia Cream Cheese (just half of the brick now) in a small bowl. Pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir it around to make it nice and smooth. 

3. In a large, deep skillet melt your butter over medium heat. 
4. Add the flour. Whisk the mixture around until it is nice and smooth and thick. 
5. Pour in your milk...keep whisking. 
6. Add the broth and continue to whisk the sauce. 
7. In just 2 or 3 short minutes of whisking you will get a thick sauce. Lovely!
8. Add 2 1/2 C of the cheddar cheese and the warm Philadelphia Cream Cheese.  Whisk it in and keep on a stirring it around. The cheeses will melt after about 3 minutes. 
9. Add the elbow mac to the sauce. Stir to combine. Then pour it into a 9 x 9 baking pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
10. In a small food processor grind up the Ritz crackers into crumbs. 
11. Sprinkle the remaining 3/4 C of cheddar cheese over the creamy, saucy mac. 
12. Pour the cracker crumbs over the top. 
13. Bake at 350 degrees (uncovered) for 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. 


Recipe from Jamie Cooks It Up!

 

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15 comments

Amanda April 12, 2011 - 12:15 pm

Ooohh! This looks so yummy! I need to make a quick trip to the store, and we are going to have this for dinner!!! Thank you!!!

Reply
Patti April 12, 2011 - 12:26 pm

This is just about how I make my mac a cheese with the exception of the chicken broth. Great addition! Will give it a try next time.
Good luck with the contest!

Reply
lmb April 12, 2011 - 12:47 pm

Thanks for all your great recipes !!! I check your site every morning first thing to see what's new !!!

Reply
Jennifurla April 12, 2011 - 12:57 pm

I always forget about ritz crackers, they make the best breading and toppping.

Reply
Rock Kitaro April 12, 2011 - 7:57 pm

Holy Wow!!!! Thanks a lot for this!! It looks good.

Reply
whitney April 12, 2011 - 10:51 pm

Yum! Can't wait to try this!

Reply
Joddi April 14, 2011 - 5:44 pm

Made this for dinner last night to go with Sloppy Joes! Easy and yummy! Thanks

Reply
The Walsers April 21, 2011 - 8:14 pm

I'm new to your blog, but I love your recipes! I made this for dinner a couple nights ago, and my husband, who doesn't really like mac and cheese, really enjoyed this!

Reply
Jamie April 27, 2011 - 3:27 am

Made this for dinner tonight!! Incredible, so delicious!! LOVE your blog!!

Reply
Mrs. H. September 8, 2011 - 5:28 pm

Wanted you to know that I chose your macaroni and cheese recipe to feature on my blog for a “Crazy Cooking Challenge” that I participated in. We were supposed to search blog land for a new mac and cheese recipe to try and share with the challenge. My family LOVED this mac and cheese. I'm so glad that I discovered it and I know that lots of people in the challenge will enjoy it, too! Thanks!

http://www.heritageschoolhouse.blogspot.com/2011/09/crazy-cooking-challenge.html

Mrs. H. 🙂

Reply
S. Hagerman June 16, 2014 - 7:54 pm

Hi Jamie! Just wondering if I am doubling this what size pan should I use? Looks so good, I’m excited to try it.
I want to let you know that my family thinks they have a chef in the house thanks to all your wonderful recipes! I know I can’t go wrong if I prepare something from you!! Everything is so delicious!!

Reply
Julie October 22, 2015 - 2:50 pm

Do you think this would freeze well?

Reply
Jamie October 23, 2015 - 7:57 am

Julie,
Unfortunately, this will not freeze well.
Best,
~Jamie

Reply
Menu Plan March Week #2 March 4, 2017 - 12:30 am

[…] Baked  Macaroni and Cheese  […]

Reply
Christina July 31, 2017 - 4:12 pm

mine sauce just stayed really thick and was a little clump-ish…what did I do?

Reply

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