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Oh. Heh. Yeah. I should have mentioned that. Around the MSL offices, it was known as the $40 mac and cheese. Although, I find I can make it for less than that. Then again, I typically halve it, as I said.

I, along with the other dietitians at the hospital, privately share our love for this Mac & Cheese...and secretly promise to never share the recipe with our patients :)

I love this recipe... and like Adam, I usually halve it... so good...and yes... on the spendy side, but well worth it. I made this recently for family members and they absolutely loved it.

This is the first time I've seen the MS recipe; I'm partial to the one that Saveur printed many years ago, which also uses the three cheese approach, but in equal amounts. I'm curious, though...the cheese sauce doesn't separate once you 'set it aside'? I usually make the pasta first and let it wait while I make the sauce...

I want this right now. My experience with the other MS recipes I've tried is that they don't need any tweaking, they are perfect. My guess is that her perfectionist nature spills into her test kitchen and therefore her recipes are foolproof. I would love to win her book! Since mac and cheese is a big family favorite, I can't wait to try it - maybe I'll make it at the in-laws' over Christmas!

Somewhere in between, but more on the creamy saucy side.

Yes, bobbob, that's correct. It's sliceable the next day, simply due to the fact that it's been in the fridge. I was going to mention that, but I figured it was kind of a "cheat" way to make it sliceable.

We made it last night - our first time making mac n'cheese, and it was sooo good. We go to S'Mac when we crave mac n'cheese - not anymore. A friend dropped by during dinner time, and he had some and asked for a doggy bag. The leftover was even better! Thank you for posting.

Martha's mac and cheese is the best. I have been making it for several years. Before baking, I put half of the recipe in 12 Oz souffle bowls with lids and freeze them. It freezes great. It sure beats the frozen mac and cheese!

I'm so happy about what these comments have said! I can't wait to make this now! I've been on a hunt, trying SO many recipes to find my ideal mac and cheese. Something ultra cheesy, with all fantastic quality ingredients, that has a cheezy-melty-stringy-oozey sauce. The good news about all the recipes I've tried: I took something away from each one! All I need is to find the right texture... Here's to hoping this one's it!

This is the MOST requested recipe from MS. I've received her mailings and e-mails and as has been mentioned, " her perfectionist nature spills into her test kitchen and therefore her recipes are foolproof". This recipe seems to be proof of that. I didn't dare try to tweak it.

I must admit that my Mac n Cheese usually leaves alot to be desired. So I was just wonder if anyone had a suggestion as to an alternative for the expensive ingredients in this particular recipe until i can perfect it?

My feeling is the cheddar doesn't matter, as long as it is sharp. Regarding the Gruyere, we opted for Kraft shredded Swiss (at less than $5 per lb, as opposed to Gruyere at $16 a lb). The Gruyere might be better, but the shredded Swiss was fine and the finished product was still the best I have ever tasted! It is the ONLY M&C that we will ever make again. Perfection!

cheese is NOT expensive, even good cheese. shop around for better prices. if people consider $40 for a meal that feeds 6 people (since its often halved) expensive, try going to a restaurant with that group and see how much each person spends.

this is a deal.

I made this for 40 people and they loved it!!!!!

I feel very comfortable in suggesting that you substitute 1/2 Monteray Jack cheese and 1/2 Longhorn Cheese for the Gruy'ere and Sharp Cheddar. I'm sure it would be easier on the budget and the results would be excellent. I made a recipe very similar to this, using the combination of Monteray Jack and Longhorn Cheese for a gathering of 60 plus people, and I couldn't copy the recipe fast enough to keep up with the requests. If you really like the Sharp Cheese, you can also use that along with the other two cheeses. It never hurts to experiment with your recipes. I always serve the Mac. & Cheese with stewed tomatoes made with chopped celery and onions, green peppers [minced], a few shakes of crushed red pepper [dried], brown sugar and white sugar [or splenda]. I always thicken the stewed tomatoes as the last step with a mixture of flour with cold water wisked together as in making gravy.Good Luck!! Yum!!

Duh! I just noticed the recipe does specify how many ounces of each cheese. As Rosanne Rosanna-Danna used to say: "Nevermind!!"

I make this recipe all the time, but I use the New York sharp white cheddar and substitute sharp yellow cheddar in place of the Gruyere. It's cheaper and the kids seem to like it better. I also don't use the bread crumbs on the top. I just put extra cheese.

Still no answer to the question of which combination of cheeses one should use.

Thanks.

Wow, it's the middle of the summer and y'all are making mac and cheese?

I never had mac and cheese growing up, but when Martha says she doesn't do comfort food I think she means she doesn't 'do' processed food--like she always says she doesn't really eat candy, she prefers 'the real stuff,' even if that is chocolate chip cookies or apple pie.

I pumped the data into a nutritional analyzer on the web, and it said 512 calories per portion if it serves 6, which, while heavy, isn't as bad as I thought.

This is the BEST Mac and Cheese I've ever eaten! It was hard for me to want to like it because Martha drives me nuts however...can't deny that this is totally a perfect dish! It does taste like what my Nana used to make! When I made it I had a little bit of leftover in the fridge and found myself awake at 2 am and HAD to have another piece. I notice someone named it Crack and Cheese...We call it Crackaroni and Cheese! Totally addictive with no 12 step program to help you stop! Warning...don't make it unless you are prepared to become an obsessive Mac and Cheese eater!

Oh wow. That was really, REALLY good. I halved the recipe and used swiss and sharp white cheddar. I'll try to romano to see if it's worth it next time (it was $5 for the cheese block (swiss) vs. $17 for the Pecorino Romano... ) It says 6 servings but it's too addictive and my husband and I ate half of the casserole in one sitting... or maybe a little more than half! :)

My mission started when I tried to find a recipe that mimicked the crack-like mac-n-cheese at a local restaurant. I have made this recipe twice. The first time, the only change I made was to use skim milk. Don't do this. You will only be cheating yourself. The second time I made this, I doubled the cayenne, used whole milk and substituted 2 cups of the milk with heavy whipping cream. 4 people ate the dish, in it's entirety, in one long evening. Gruyere and extra sharp white cheddar were the winning cheeses. If I've ever had a monkey on my back when it comes to a particular food, it's this dish specifically!!!!! "Crackaroni and Cheese", indeed!!!

A few months ago our family compared Martha's recipe to Patty Labelle's and Patty won hands down. The only change I made to her recipe was to substitute Butter Kase for the Gruyere. Here it is.

Over-the-Rainbow Macaroni and Cheese
Recipe created by Patti LaBelle

Patti LaBelle says that the sure sign of a good cook is if their macaroni and cheese will make you cry! According to Oprah, Patti's version just might bring tears to your eyes.

Ingredients:Serves 4 to 6

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound elbow macaroni
8 tablespoons (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Muenster cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded mild Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup (8 ounces) Velveeta , cut into small cubes
2 large eggs , lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a deep 2 1/2-quart casserole.

Bring the large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the oil, then the elbow macaroni, and cook until the macaroni is just tender, about 7 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain well. Return to the cooking pot.

In a small saucepan, melt eight tablespoons of the butter. Stir into the macaroni. In a large bowl, mix the Muenster, mild and sharp Cheddar, and Monterey Jack cheeses. To the macaroni, add the half-and-half, 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese, the cubed Velveeta, and the eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the buttered casserole. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese and dot with the remaining one tablespoon of butter.

Bake until it's bubbling around the edges, about 35 minutes. Serve hot.

Nutritional Information:798 calories, 49.3 grams of fat, 28.6 grams saturated fat, 202 mg cholesterol, 786 mg sodium, 61.0 grams carbohydrates, 27.7 grams protein, 1.8 grams fiber

This recipe rocks!!! A twist on this recipe to make it a bit more impressive for company is to add 3 tablespoons white truffle oil at the same time you are adding the spices and to substitute 1 1/2 cups panko for the buttered breadcrumbs. As I am usually cooking for only 2 people- I will bake this in 8 mini-loaf pans instead of a casserole dish. Then I can easily freeze it in meal sized portions.

I made this dish for my Father-in-laws final birthday. I could not believe how fabulous it was. I was so happy that I spent the extra money and bought high quality cheese. I can't wait for it to get cold out so I can truly enjoy this winter comfort food!

Wowza! I subbed good swiss cheese for the gruyere ($5 vs $10...) and I think it was still super delish. My friend is a high-end chef from a southern restraunt and he wouldn't stop high-fiving me! Seriously, my mouth gaped with the two huge plate-sized servings he dished up. He he! (Only drawback is the amount of dishes it dirtied in the process... Martha is always making me do tons of dishes...)

I make this all the time but to attempt to cut calories, I substitue with skim milk and Sargento reduced fat cheeses. This does not diminish the taste.

Could this be assembled the night before and cooked successfully the next day? Thinking about making this for Thanksgiving.

Sounds yummy!

Wickedly good. Made the M&C for the first time based on the postings and I am glad that there are reliable taste buds walking this earth! Dinner guests had second helpings but appreciated the palette-cleansing-vinegar-dressed salad to cut thru the richness. And those bread crumbs?? Shazam!! Life is good! To marginally cut-down on the recipes sizable amount of dishes, use the same high-sided skillet in Procedure 2 to melt the butter in Pro.1. Hope this helps!

Okay, am I missing something in the first procedure? Are you suppose to bake the the buttered bread to make the bread crumbs. The first procedure doesn't say. Somebody help me here.

@jwdh1 - no, you don't bake them. They're not really wet. They are just torn pieces of bread that have a bit of butter on them. You put them on top of the cheese that you add just before baking, and they become browned and crunchy and baked into the cheese while you bake the mac & cheese...it's yummy.

I made this exactly as the recipe states and it was UNBELIEVABLE! MY best friend and I were moaning over the pot, as we were tasting the sauce. My husband had to come in the kitchen to see what was going on!!! I have made Emerils 3 cheese mac & cheese and several of Alton's but this is by far the BEST! My family loves mac and cheese and this barely made it through our Thanksgiving meal with only a few leftovers. I highly recommened it...can you tell???

i made this for my boyfriend on his birthday and he is literally obsessed with it. i have to agree with the consensus -- best mac & cheese i have ever had. i made the whole recipe and divided it into two pans, baking one and freezing the other for another occasion. little did i know the "other occasion" would be only a couple days later when the bf begged me to make it again!

I worked in the test kitchen when this recipe was being developed. Sara Neumeier definitely has a way with cheese and starch. I'll eat anything she makes!! And I have!

This is my go-to mac and cheese recipe - killer good and easy to make!!

Off topic, but as regards the request for a crab recipe; try a seafood bread pudding. Butter your dish, layer buttered (crustless) bread and seafood (crab, browned shrimp, lobster all work well, as do salmon, tuna and any whitefish, smoked or unsmoked) with gruyere, and top with sharp cheddar after pouring a full pot of cream over the whole thing. Add pepper and whatever spices you like. You can add a few whipped eggs if you like to give it a more 'custardy' feel. Bake until brown and bubbly. And don't skimp on the cheese. You can add some grated parmesan as well, but then again, I regard most food as a parmesan delivery vehicle. Chuck in some veg, too, if you like...peas and cut broccoli work very well, but you can be creative.

Pardon my blasphemy, but would Shells be better than elbow macaroni?

I'm not surprised to hear that Ina Garten was the originator of Martha's recipe. I don't like watching Ina on TV, but I love her recipes (try her French Potato Salad, it's wicked good).

Once we tried this M&C, there was no debate--just a natural consensus within the family that this was The One. My wife's notes indicate she always substitutes Swiss for the Gruyere/Romano. She always uses freshly grated nutmeg (it really does make a BIG difference), If you like lots of crust (we do), cook it in a broad, shallow casserole dish. And regarding freezing, it can be stored in the freezer cooked or uncooked. It's so good, it'll make your tongue smack your mama!

I'm surprised that 1 pound of pasta really makes enough for 12. Do those of you who make it think this is an accurate serving size?

Well, right back attcha, Chiff. If you're using the Chat N Chew one, I'm going to try that now.

@lemonfair, totally, if you imagine a 9X13 dish parcelled into 12 servings. It's really decadent.

I served this the other day with chili. In making the mac and cheese, I realised I was out of white bread, and substituted some jalapeno cheddar bread I'd bought on a lark at the grocery earlier in the week. The result was awesome! ANd the jalapeno flavour really echoed the peppers in the chili.

I was convinced this would be too much sauce, but somehow, those noodles drank it up.