Posted on 07/14/2023 6:03:39 AM PDT by Red Badger
(Last Updated On: July 7, 2023)
NATIONAL MAC AND CHEESE DAY | JULY 14
One of the classic comfort foods earns a place of honor on July 14th. It is National Mac and Cheese Day!
#NationalMacAndCheeseDay
Made with macaroni noodles, cream or milk, and the golden goodness of cheese, mac and cheese shines as a side dish while also standing on its own as a main dish. This meal reminds many of us of home while also teaching us the basics of the kitchen. What other recipes allow us to create so flamboyantly and often with so little knowledge about cooking?
From the classic mac and cheese with cheddar or American cheeses to the spicy cowboy mac with bacon and jalapenos, there’s a combination for everyone. Mix up the cheeses or load up on seasonings. It’s easy to get a toasty crust by setting the broiler for a couple of minutes at the end of the cooking time.
Mac and cheese offers a multitude of ways to enjoy it, too. As a soup, it warms us up after a long day. Stuff it inside a meatloaf or a burger for a meal made for a hungry, busy family. Roll up bite-sized bits in bread crumbs and deep fry for mouthwatering appetizers. Put your favorite mac and cheese between two slices of crusty bread. Then put into a panini press for some grilled yumminess. Whether we like it mild or spicy, mac and cheese has us covered.
Besides being simple to make, mac and cheese enables us to experiment with other flavors we enjoy. We break into our kitchen skills with mac and cheese, and it makes us look good. Sometimes the can opener doesn’t do that. On July 14th, celebrate mac and cheese not only because we love to eat it, but because it taught us we can cook, too.
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL MAC AND CHEESE DAY
Enjoy some mac and cheese! Experiment with different cheeses or try it with toppings. Don’t hesitate to break out of your normal routine. This is no time to be ho-hum. It’s a celebration of a food that’s not only convenient but is versatile and delicious, too. Use #NationalMacAndCheeseDay to share on social media.
Do you love mac and cheese so much that you would love to see some deals? Check out the Celebration Deals page for all the latest info! Do you have a deal to add to the list? Contact us and we will get it added!
NATIONAL MAC AND CHEESE DAY HISTORY
We were unable to identify the creator of National Mac and Cheese Day.
Mac ‘n Cheese!......................
You know as I think back, to this day some of the best if not THE best Mac n cheese I ever had came out of my high school cafeteria......alwhad large ham cubes mixed in.......that stuff was like crack. Lol!
When my kids were growing up, macaroni and melted cheese were a staple of diet, four or five times a week.
That family is scattered to the winds today, and I NEVER have to eat mac’n’cheese again in my life.
The macaroni and cheese recipe from the Downton Abbey cookbook is excellent.
Yes, homemade is best. Among store-bought versions, Stouffer’s frozen is pretty good. The boxed Kraft stuff — shown in the foto — is barely edible but very habit-forming. Many American kids seem to be addicted to it. That and extruded chicken slurry nuggets. [shudder]
Extra Creamy Lobster Mac and Cheese
Cheesy, creamy, with tender lobster, this Mac & Cheese is nothing short of amazing!
Ingredients
▢8 ounces lobster meat cooked, chopped, about 2 cups *see note
▢16 ounces dry pasta cavatappi, penne or shells
▢⅓ cup butter
▢⅓ cup flour
▢1 teaspoon onion powder
▢½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
▢½ teaspoon salt or to taste
▢¼ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
▢¼ teaspoon black pepper to taste
▢2 ¾ cups milk
▢½ cup light cream
▢2 cups sharp cheddar shredded
▢1 ¼ cups Gruyere cheese shredded, or swiss cheese, mozzarella, or havarti
▢½ cup fresh parmesan cheese shredded
Topping
▢½ cup bread crumbs
▢2 tablespoons butter melted
▢2 tablespoons parmesan cheese grated
▢1 teaspoon parsley chopped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9x13 pan.
Combine topping ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
Cook pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain and run under cold water and set aside.
While pasta is cooking, melt butter over medium heat in a saucepan. Stir in flour and seasonings and cook 2 minutes.
Combine milk and cream. Add to the flour mixture a little bit at a time whisking in after each addition. The mixture will be very thick at first but will smooth out as you continue adding liquid.
Once all of the liquid is added, bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 1-2 minutes or until thickened while whisking. Remove from heat and stir in the cheeses whisking until the sauce is smooth and melted.
Combine the sauce and the pasta. Gently stir in half of the lobster meat and spread into the prepared pan. Add remaining lobster meat on top and sprinkle with the topping mixture. Bake 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and topping is browned. Do not overcook.
Notes
This recipe uses cooked lobster meat. Use tails or a whole lobster if you prefer. You can cook just tails by broiling them (broiled lobster tail recipe here) or boiling in water below. Two to three small tails should be enough but you can add extra if you’d like.
No Lobster?! No Problem. Substitute other favorites seafood in this recipe such as lump crab meat, shrimp, scallops, salmon or a combination!
To Boil Lobster Tails for Meat Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Place 3 lobster tails (approximately 3-3.5 oz each) in the boiling water and let simmer 3-4 minutes or just until cooked through. The thickest part of the meat should reach 140°F. Check them early to ensure they do not overcook.
Lobster-Mac-and-Cheese
For those who prefer a lower-carb option, ‘Miracle Noodle’ makes an almost zero-carb Konjac ziti noodle. This means the only carbs are from your milk and butter.
They also make Konjac rice, spaghetti and linguini.
The trick is that though Konjac is flavorless, it absorbs the flavor of what it’s mixed with.
Agree that homemade is best, but sometimes nothing will do but a box of Kraft. I use bacon grease instead of butter or margarine, and not as much as the directions call for.
Fettuccine Alfredo is really just mac and cheese.
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