Every week one of the chefs from Harmons Grocery Stores will be answering your toughest culinary questions. No question is too big or too small and if your question is selected we'll invite you to take part in an upcoming cooking class at Harmons. Email your questions to askachef@harmonsgrocery.com.

This week's question comes from Daniel:

"I've always wanted to know how to make home made macaroni and cheese. I've tried adding cheese to cooked macaroni but it always comes out looking like noodle nachos. I don't want to go back to mac and cheese in the box. Help?"

What culinary questions do you have? Let us know! Email our Harmons chefs at askachef@harmonsgrocery.com

Great question, Daniel! Nothing says comfort food like good old fashioned macaroni and cheese. Making it from scratch is not quite as easy as melting cheese over cooked macaroni, but it takes just about as much time as it does to make it from a box…and it tastes much better.

For amazing homemade macaroni and cheese all you need is cooked macaroni, thickened cream sauce and melted cheese. You can also layer in flavor with an assortment of different ingredients like sliced green onions, caramelized onions, crumbled bacon, salami, green peppers and browned sausage like chorizo.

Here are two recipes for different variations of mac and cheese. One is a little "higher brow" (for when you are entertaining more discerning guests) and the other for those fun weekend meals with the kids.

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese (serves 6)

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons plain flour
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 2 1/5 cups cream
• 8 oz. of macaroni
• 4 oz. of cheddar cheese
• 4 oz. of American cheese, cubed

DirectionsPrep: 5min › Cook: 20min › Ready in: 25min

1. Cook macaroni in a quart of lightly salted water (add a few pinches of salt) until tender. Drain and reserve macaroni.
2. While macaroni is cooking cube American cheese and grate cheddar cheese.
3. Melt butter in a saucepan pan over medium heat.
4.Add the flour and fish sauce and cook until butter and flour have formed a thick paste that smells nutty.
5. Add the cream and bring to a light boil.
6. Whisk in cheese until the sauce has thickened.
7. Add the macaroni and stir until incorporated.
8. Remove from heat and adjust seasoning and serve.

Baked Mac and Jack (serves 6)

(Featuring Belton Farms Red Fox Leicester)

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons plain flour
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cups heavy cream
• 8 oz. macaroni
• 4 oz. cubed pepper jack cheese
• 3 oz. crumbled Belton Farms Red Leicester cheese (available at Harmons Cheese Island)
• 1 small onion, small diced

DirectionsPrep: 5min › Cook: 20min › Ready in: 45min

1. Cook macaroni in a quart of lightly salted water (add a few pinches of salt) until tender. Drain and reserve macaroni.
2. While macaroni is cooking cube the jack cheese and crumble the Leicester cheese.
3. Melt butter in a saucepan pan over medium heat sweat onions until tender and aromatic.
4. Add the flour and Worcestershire sauce and cook until butter and flour have formed a thick paste that smells nutty.
5. Add the cream and milk and bring to a light boil.
6. Whisk in pepper jack cheese until the sauce has thickened.
7. Add the macaroni and stir until incorporated.
8. Remove from heat, season to taste and place in a 9"x9" baking dish coated with butter.
9. Place Red Leicester cheese on top and place on top rack in oven on broil.
10. Broil until cheese is melted and slightly browned.

Another great addition to this recipe would be nice chunks of thick-cut bacon. Keep in mind that if you do add bacon you'll want to adjust your seasoning so that your macaroni and cheese doesn't turn out too salty.

I hope you try these recipes and that they turn out as well for you as they did for me! If you are looking for even more culinary inspiration and delicious recipe ideas join me for a class at Harmons Cooking School, and check out our other Ask a Chef articles. There you'll find delicious recipes for main dishes, desserts and more!

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