Indulge in a sophisticated twist on the classic comfort food with our Grown-Up Mac and Cheese with Bay Scallops. This elevated dish combines the creaminess of a rich cheese sauce with the delicate flavor of succulent bay scallops, offering a harmonious blend of textures and flavors. Our carefully curated selection of recipes caters to diverse preferences, including a traditional mac and cheese recipe for those seeking a classic experience, a spicy mac and cheese recipe that adds a kick of heat, and a vegetarian mac and cheese recipe that caters to plant-based diets. Each recipe is meticulously crafted to ensure a delightful culinary experience, whether you're a seasoned cook or a beginner in the kitchen. Let's embark on a culinary journey and discover the perfect Grown-Up Mac and Cheese recipe to satisfy your cravings.
Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!
SCALLOP MAC & CHEESE
A nice way to dress up this favorite feel-good food is to add scallops. They transform mac and cheese into a sophisticated dish.-Laurie Lufkin, Essex, Massachusetts
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 50m
Yield 5 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Add bread crumbs; cook and stir until lightly toasted., In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add scallops; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until firm and opaque. Remove and keep warm. Melt remaining butter in the pan; add mushrooms and onion. Cook and stir until tender. Stir in the flour, thyme, salt and pepper until blended., Gradually add the milk, wine and sherry. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cheeses until melted. Drain pasta; stir pasta and scallops into sauce., Divide among five 10-oz. ramekins or custard cups. Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Place ramekins on a baking sheet. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. Spoon onto plates if desired.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 704 calories, Fat 37g fat (22g saturated fat), Cholesterol 132mg cholesterol, Sodium 696mg sodium, Carbohydrate 55g carbohydrate (8g sugars, Fiber 3g fiber), Protein 38g protein.
GROWN UP MAC AND CHEESE
For a cozy dinner for two, try Ina Garten's Grown-Up Mac and Cheese, which features cheddar, Roquefort and GruyÂre, from Barefoot Contessa on Food Network.
Provided by Ina Garten
Categories main-dish
Time 1h10m
Yield 2 servings
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in 1 layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is crisp. Remove the pan carefully from the oven - there will be hot grease in the pan! Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and crumble when it is cool enough to handle.
- Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.
- Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt the butter in a medium pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or 2 more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, blue cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and crumbled bacon and stir well. Pour into 2 individual size gratin dishes.
- Place the bread slices in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until you have coarse crumbs. Add the basil and pulse to combine. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top of the pasta. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.
CHEESY TARRAGON BAY SCALLOPS
Nice presentation, and when served over a puff pastry shell, elegant enough for a special dinner. The Parmesan and tarragon give you a rich and flavorful cheese sauce that's the perfect complement to the scallops.
Provided by lutzflcat
Categories Scallop Recipes
Time 30m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
- Remove all wrapping from the pastry shells and set on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and puffed, about 20 minutes (follow directions on package).
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bay scallops, and saute quickly on both sides until lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side. Do not overcook. Remove scallops from skillet and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium, and melt remaining tablespoon butter. Add mushrooms and shallots, and sautè until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Whisk half-and-half and flour into the skillet, whisking until thickened; add white wine, sherry, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard, and whisk into the cream sauce.
- Stir in Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon tarragon, and pepper. Return scallops to the cheese sauce, stir, and reheat briefly.
- Remove top of the puff pastry shell, and fill with cheesy scallops, overflowing slightly to serve. Garnish with additional fresh tarragon if you like.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 480.6 calories, Carbohydrate 27.4 g, Cholesterol 74.2 mg, Fat 29.3 g, Fiber 1.1 g, Protein 24.9 g, SaturatedFat 13.3 g, Sodium 662.4 mg
EMERIL'S SEAFOOD MAC AND CHEESE
This mac and cheese is a fantastic one-dish meal -- it's so rich and creamy and cheesy, all you'll need is a simple green salad to serve alongside, and your menu is set. Lobster works well in this recipe, but if that seems too luxurious, use any combination of seafood you like.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Seafood Recipes Shrimp Recipes
Time 55m
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook macaroni 2 minutes less than al dente. Drain; rinse with cold water. Set aside.
- While pasta is cooking, melt butter over medium in a large saucepan. Transfer 2 tablespoons melted butter to a medium bowl, and reserve. Add onion and garlic to pan; cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add flour; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add milk; whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook until sauce has thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg.
- Remove pan from heat. Fold in seafood, macaroni, and cheese; transfer to a shallow 4-quart baking dish. To bowl with reserved melted butter, add breadcrumbs and Creole seasoning; toss, and scatter over macaroni mixture. Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until topping is golden and sauce is bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 665 g, Fat 30 g, Fiber 2 g, Protein 40 g
GROWN UP MACARONI AND CHEESE
This is a fantastic mac and cheese recipe, with grown up flavors...you've got to give it a try. I made it last year for a dinner party, and after a year of people asking for the recipe (It really is that good!) I decided to just put it on Zaar. The recipe comes from the Fall 2007 edition of The Best of Fine Cooking magazine. This serves 8 people as a main course.
Provided by Chef Johnny Ringo
Categories Cheese
Time 1h30m
Yield 8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Put a large pot of well salted water on to boil.
- Heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium low heat to just below a simmer. Remove from heat and cover to keep hot.
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat.
- add the onion and bay leaf. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
- Gradually whisk in the hot milk, bring to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes, whisking frequently, until thickened and smooth.
- Season with 1 tsp salt, the nutmeg, tabasco and pepper to taste.
- Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the gruyere and blue cheese.
- Cook the pasta in the boiling water to al dente, following the package directions. Drain well and return to the pot.
- Toss the lemon zest and half of the Monterey Jack cheese into the pasta while it's still hot; add the cheese sauce and quickly toss to combine.
- Stir in the parsley and thyme and transfer half of the pasta to a large 3 qt shallow cassserole or lasagna pan.
- Sprinkle with the remaining Monterey Jack cheese and half of the Parmigiano; top with the remaining pasta.
- Sprinkle with the remaining Parmigiano and the breadcrumbs.
- Bake until bubbling and golden, 50 to 60 minutes.
- Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Tips:
- For a richer flavor, use a combination of sharp cheddar and Gruyère cheese.
- To make the sauce extra creamy, add a tablespoon of heavy cream.
- If you don't have bay scallops, you can use shrimp or crab meat instead.
- Serve the mac and cheese with a side of roasted vegetables or a salad.
- This dish can be made ahead of time and reheated in the oven or microwave.
Conclusion:
This grown-up mac and cheese with bay scallops is a delicious and elegant dish that is perfect for a special occasion. The creamy sauce, tender scallops, and flavorful cheese make this a dish that everyone will love. So next time you're looking for a new and exciting way to enjoy mac and cheese, give this recipe a try.
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