HOW TO MAKE BAKED MAC & CHEESE RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350° and butter a large, deep baking dish. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook macaroni according to package instructions until just al dente. Drain and set aside.  In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta and butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in 2 cups cheddar cheese. Add half of the macaroni mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle Colby-cheddar cheese blend over pasta mixture, then top with another layer of pasta (similar to making a lasagna).  In a medium bowl, beat together eggs and milk then pour evenly over pasta.  Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 to 35 minutes. Do not overbake! It may be a bit jiggly when you take it out of the oven.  Turn on oven broiler. Top with the remaining cheddar cheese. (I add a little more Colby jack as well) and broil until golden! It will firm up as it cool.

Steps:

• Put a large pot of water on to boil. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Coat an 8-inch-square (2-quart) baking dish with cooking spray.
• Mix breadcrumbs, oil and paprika in a small bowl. Place spinach in a fine-mesh strainer and press out excess moisture.
• Heat 1 1/2 cups milk in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until steaming. Whisk remaining 1/4 cup milk and flour in a small bowl until smooth; add to the hot milk and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce simmers and thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Cheddar until melted. Stir in cottage cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
• Cook pasta for 4 minutes, or until not quite tender. (It will continue to cook during baking.) Drain and add to the cheese sauce; mix well. Spread half the pasta mixture in the prepared baking dish. Spoon the spinach on top. Top with the remaining pasta; sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture.
• Bake the casserole until bubbly and golden, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 4. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, if necessary, then bake for 35 to 45 minutes.
• Tip: To make fresh breadcrumbs, trim crusts from whole-wheat bread. Tear bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. One slice of bread makes about 1/2 cup fresh crumbs. For dry breadcrumbs, spread the fresh crumbs on a baking sheet and bake at 250degreesF until crispy, about 15 minutes. One slice of fresh bread makes about 1/3 cup dry crumbs. Or use prepared coarse dry breadcrumbs. We like Ian's brand labeled "Panko breadcrumbs." Find them in the natural-foods section of large supermarkets.
• Nutrition:
• Per serving: 576 calories; 22 g fat (11 g sat, 2 g mono); 69 mg cholesterol; 63 g carbohydrates; 37 g protein; 9 g fiber; 917 mg sodium; 403 mg potassium.