I’m a great lover of cheese.  And with most of the US still in winter’s firm grip, I thought I would repost a couple super easy, great tasting cheesy recipes!

Talkin’ Old South Comfort Food… This is it!

Macaroni ‘n’ Cheese – Southern Style

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

1  1/4  C  Elbow Macaroni
16 oz  block of Sharp Cheddar Cheese  (cut 8-10 slices approx. 1/8 +” thick)   I use a little over half of the block

1    large  Egg
1/4  C   Water
1/2  tsp  Salt
1/8  tsp  Black Pepper

1  C   Milk  (I use Half & Half which is more in keeping with the raw milk they would have used.)

Cook elbow macaroni according to directions on the box and drain.  Make sure you stir the macaroni occasionally to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan.  While the macaroni is cooking, you will have time to slice the cheese. (I rarely use the entire block unless I’m doubling the recipe.)  Butter an 8×8 casserole dish and pour in half of the drained macaroni. Place half of the sliced cheese on top of the macaroni and repeat the layers.  Whisk the egg, water, salt and pepper together in a bowl, then whisk in the milk.  Pour over the layers of macaroni and cheese.  The egg and milk mixture should completely cover the layers of macaroni and cheese. Bake for approximately 40 – 50 minutes.  The egg and milk mixture should be cooked thoroughly and it will be slightly brown and crispy on top.   Enjoy! Serves  4 – 6

*** Special notes –

2   C  (8 oz) shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese can be substituted for the slices of Cheddar  (Or a little more, depending on how cheesy you’re feeling.)

This recipe can be doubled, but I do not double the salt and pepper–maybe 50% more of each… This will be more of a ‘to taste’ addition.

And if you double the recipe, make certain to use a large, shallow casserole dish, leaving room for expansion of the egg and milk mixture.  And no more than 2 layers of the mac and cheese, or the outside will get too well done and the middle won’t be cooked through.

A Little History –

Thomas Jefferson loved Macaroni and Cheese and was known to have it served to dinner guests during his presidency.   He might not have invented the dish, but he did own a macaroni machine.  So if they were making it during Thomas Jefferson’s time, surely we, with all our modern conveniences, can!!!  I’ve decided to post a recipe that has been handed down through my husband’s family.  It is the Macaroni ‘n’ Cheese recipe his grandmother made and she was born in 1890 near Bamberg, SC.  I was fortunate enough to have known and spent time with this grand lady before she passed away closing in on the age of 102 . . . and she was sharp as a tack (pardon my slang) to the very end.  Recipes were handed down from mother to daughter back then, and this recipe certainly goes back to the Civil War/Reconstruction years, and is probably older.

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The following recipe will feed lots of people.  My family loves it and asks me to make it all the time!  And, what’s even better, it’s very simple to make! If necessary, you can even make it up the day before and refrigerate it covered overnight.  Just made certain you bring it up to room temperature (usually takes a couple hours) before putting it into a hot oven.

If you only need about half of the recipe (approximately 6 servings – bake for about an hour), take the remaining  uncooked mixture and freeze it in plastic containers. I do this all the time. When needed, take them out of the freezer the night before to thaw in the refrigerator. Place the thawed mixture in a casserole dish, mix in a Tablespoon of water, top with crushed crackers or Corn Flakes, and bake until golden brown and delicious.

ESCALLOPED POTATOES

1    –  32 oz. bag of Southern Hash Brown Potatoes  –  completely thawed

1/3  C   Butter  –  melted

1 can  Cream of Chicken Soup  –  undiluted

1/4  C  Water

16  oz. Cheddar cheese  –  shredded

8  oz.   Sour Cream

1     tsp.   Salt

¼  tsp.  Pepper

1      medium Onion  –  finely chopped

1     C  crushed Townhouse Crackers or  Corn Flakes

Combine Cream of Chicken soup, Sour Cream, Salt, Pepper, melted Butter, and chopped Onion in a large bowl. (And I do mean LARGE bowl) Mix in shredded Cheddar in 2 to 3 increments until incorporated.  Stir in Hash Brown Potatoes until completely covered with cheese mixture.  Place mixture in a extra large 2 1/2 to 3 inch deep casserole dish. (or it may be put into two medium sized ones)  Top with crushed Townhouse Crackers or Corn Flakes.  Bake uncovered 1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours in preheated oven at 350 degrees.

Enjoy!