How To Make the Best Macaroni and Cheese on the Stovetop

Macaroni and cheese or popularly known as Mac and cheese is a dish made of cooked macaroni pasta and cheddar cheese. This can be served as a main dish or a side dish. In different countries, Mac and cheese has different names. For instance, in the Caribbean it is known as macaroni pie. In the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, it is known as macaroni cheese. Mac and cheese has a very long history. As early as 14th century, this dish was included in the Liber de Coquina. This is the oldest medieval cookbook. It is an Italian dish that was brought to England during the 14th century. Back then, parmesan cheese was used instead of cheddar.

Traditional Mac and cheese is cooked in a casserole dish that is baked in an oven. But today, you can now cook on top of a stove or by a packaged mix. What makes this dish yummy is the cheese? Cheddar cheese is commonly used. This cheese is hard, and pale yellow to off-white in color. It originated in Somerset, England. Some recipes also use Colby and Monterey jack cheeses.

In making Mac and cheese, make sure the macaroni pasta is cooked "al dente". This is a cooking term that means "just right". Not too hard and not too soggy. It is also important that the sauce is creamy and cheesy to make it more mouth watering. You can also put ham, peas, onions, and red peppers to add more flavor.

This is an easy dish to prepare. You will find a lot of recipes on the internet having slight variations in procedure and ingredients. Just make sure to cook the macaroni "al dente" and use your judgment in putting ingredients to make the creamy sauce.

The best part of cooking is tasting the final output. Enjoy! The full list of ingredients and directions are at the 'Kitchn' website link below.