Cheese with apple butter

Baked Mac and Cheese

Still the best Baked Mac and Cheese I’ve ever had, with a stunning white creamy cheese sauce and a buttery breadcrumb topping. This is THE Macaroni Cheese recipe that’s wildly popular every Thanksgiving and Christmas!

Baked Mac and Cheese

I don’t want to be morbid, but if I had to choose a Last Meal, this Baked Mac and Cheese may possibly be it. Put me in a room with Macaroni Cheese, and neither of us stand a chance. Said Mac and Cheese would be ravaged.

And of all the Mac and Cheeses in the world, this is still the best Mac and Cheese I’ve ever had!

About this Macaroni and Cheese

This is a Mac and Cheese recipe that is everything you want in a knock-your-socks off Macaroni Cheese – cheesy and creamy, with perfectly cooked macaroni (no bloated pasta!), plenty of sauce and a crunchy buttery top (essential in my world!)

What goes in Baked Mac and Cheese

Here’s what you need. Cheese. Butter. Pasta. All the essential food groups covered!😂

Best pasta for Mac and Cheese?

Macaroni, also known as elbow pasta. But really, any short pasta will work just fine – penne, ziti, twirls etc.

Best cheese for Mac and Cheese?

A combination of Gruyere and mozzarella cheese. Gruyere for the most superior flavour with the best melting qualities for creamy sauces such as this – there’s no contention in my view. And mozzarella for stretch – nothing does the cheese pull like a good mozzarella!

But honestly, any cheese that melts well works is excellent with Mac and Cheese, such as cheddar, tasty, Colby, Swiss, Pepper Jack, Emmental.

No cream?

NO! You do NOT need it. This sauce is rich enough as it is from the butter and cheese. Cream makes it so rich you can’t eat more than a few spoonfuls. How disappointing.

How to make Baked Mac and Cheese

It’s a straightforward recipe, starting with a basic butter-flour roux that is used to thicken milk to make the cheese sauce. For first timers, I think the short video below will help give you the confidence that you’ve got this!

The simple trick to avoid lumps in the Mac and Cheese Sauce is to pour the milk in slowly while constantly stirring, then just switch to a whisk if needed to remove any stubborn lumps!

Tips for the BEST Mac & Cheese!

Freshly grated cheese – don’t use pre shredded. They have anti caking agents that can make the sauce grainy.

No bloated overcooked pasta – Cool macaroni slightly and lightly coat in butter. This stops the macaroni from absorbing more liquid while baking, resulting in bloated overcooked pasta (hot pasta absorbs liquid faster, butter creates thin film of protection) and less sauce.

To avoid lumps in your sauce, stir constantly as you slowly pour the milk in and keep stirring once the milk is all added. If necessary, switch to a switch to get rid of stubborn little lumps!

Plenty of sauce – Because I like my Mac and Cheese saucy, not dried up so you can cut it like cake!

Can you make Mac and Cheese ahead of time? Most recipes are not suitable for making ahead, but this recipe is! The best way is to cool pasta then toss with sauce and adding breadcrumb topping. Cool, refrigerate or freeze then bake on the day of (see recipe Note 5 for baking time).

How long can Mac and Cheese stay in the fridge? Unlike most, this Macaroni Cheese recipe is good for 3 to 5 days in the fridge. Most Mac and Cheese will not keep well because there’s not enough sauce so it gets absorbed by the pasta and you’re left with dry, sauceless pasta.

Freezing? Yes! Assemble, cool, do not bake, just freeze it. Thaw then on the day of, bake per Note 5 in the recipe.

Add ins? This recipe is great as it is, but there’s tons of add-in options. Add shredded chicken, sautéed onion and bell peppers/capsicum, bacon, hot sauce (for heat!), dried herbs of choice.

What to serve with Baked Mac and Cheese

Mac and Cheese is worthy of serving as a meal in its own right, served with just a fresh green salad or simple vegetable side. Nothing heavy because Macaroni Cheese is so rich as it is!

As a side dish, it will compliment virtually any non-Asian main dish. From simple Baked Pork Chops to Steak, a Roast Chicken to Crispy Garlic Chicken Thighs, the only things I probably would not serve with Mac and Cheese would be very light summery mains such as a Tuna Tartare – just a little too much contrast.

And of course, festive gatherings! Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter – alongside a grand Roast Turkey or your Herb & Garlic Butter Slathered Turkey Breast, the juicy Roast Pork with impossibly Crispy Crackling or your Prime Rib that’s so perfectly blushing pink all the way through, it makes you want to weep.

Holidays would not be the same without this Mac and Cheese!! – Nagi xx

Baked Mac and Cheese recipe
Watch how to make it

Baked Mac and Cheese recipe video! Don’t miss the ending when it comes out of the oven….

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Apple Butter

Learn how to make apple butter and fill your house with the aroma of cooking apples, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. Our apple butter recipe is great on toast or spooned into oatmeal!

Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.

It’s hard to find any apple butter, let alone good apple butter in the grocery store these days. Making apple butter is a great way to preserve the fruits of an apple harvest.

What is Apple Butter?

Apple butter is made by slowly cooking pureed apples for over an hour. The sugars in the apples caramelize as the puree cooks, giving the apple butter its rich, sweet flavor and dark color.

In contrast to what the name implies, there is no «butter» in apple butter. The name comes from its smooth and buttery texture. Apple butter is delicious on buttered toast.

Don’t Throw Away Your Apple Cores!

Although apple butter takes time to make, the upfront part is easy. You do not have to peel or core the apples.

The pectin for firming up the resulting apple butter resides mostly in the cores and there is a lot of flavor in the apple peels. After the first cooking, these parts get discarded as the pulp is run through a food mill.

This recipe produces a traditional apple butter, which is both sweet and sour, the addition of cider vinegar just intensifying the flavor and giving it its tangy edge. It’s seasoned with cinnamon, cloves, allspice and lemon.

For more information on apple varieties, check out our Guide to Apples.

The Difference Between Applesauce and Apple Butter

Apple butter is a smoother, more concentrated form of applesauce. The methods for making the two both start out similarly, by slow-cooking apples until they’re soft and mushy. Applesauce will be ready at this saucy stage, sometimes with the addition of sugar and/or spices to flavor it. But to make apple butter, you puree the stewed apples and cook them down further so more liquid evaporates and the apples caramelize.

Alternatives to Stovetop Cooking

Don’t love standing at the stove stirring for ages? These two methods are way more hands-off.

• Microwave: Instead of cooking the seasoned puree on the stovetop in Step 5, cook it uncovered in a microwave, on medium heat setting to simmer, for around 30 minutes. If you do this, monitor the cooking every 5 or 10 minutes. Microwaves vary in their power.
• Slow cooker: In Step 5, transfer the seasoned puree to a slow cooker. Cook on low with the lid ajar (lay spoons across the cooker and set the lid on top) so steam can escape. Stir once every hour or so. Depending on your cooker, it could take up to 5 hours for the apple butter to cook down.

The Best Apples for Apple Butter

Look to softer apples, like Gravenstein, to make apple butter, as they will cook down faster. We also like the tart flavor of Granny Smith apples. Combine different apples to match your taste preferences. We recommend the following varieties:

• Braeburn
• Cortland
• Fuji
• McIntosh
• Golden Delicious
• Jonagold

Learn which apples are best to use in cooking and baking in our guide to apples.

Swaps and Suggestions for Homemade Apple Butter

• Switch up the spices. This recipe calls for cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and some lemon to bring out the flavor, but feel free to play around with others spices such as ginger and nutmeg if you wish.
• Switch up the sweetener. We recommend sticking with white sugar for a straightforward apple flavor. But readers have shared some of the swaps they’ve made in the comments. Check them out!

To Can or Not to Can?

Want to make larger batches of apple butter so you can have jars on hand for later and not worry about refrigerating them? Planning to give jars as gifts? If so, sterilize glass jars for canning. We offer detailed directions for water bath canning in the recipe below.

If you want to eat your apple butter up quickly, skip the canning. It keeps in the fridge for weeks as long as you’re not dipping dirty spoon into it. Or freeze it for later.

NOTE: For this recipe to be safe for canning, the sugar levels should not be reduced lower than to 1/3 cup sugar per 1 cup apple pulp.

Storing and Freezing Apple Butter

• Fresh apple butter will keep in the fridge for at least couple of weeks, if not longer.
• Sealed, canned jars of apple butter will keep for years in the pantry (they’re best used within a year, though). Once opened, they’ll also keep for weeks in the refrigerator.
• Frozen apple butter will keep up to a year.

Ways to Use Your Apple Butter

Whether you spread it on toast, swirl it into oatmeal, or serve it on a cheese plate, you’ll find a plethora of delicious ways to incorporate apple butter.

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Apple Butter and White Cheddar Boneless Pork Chop with Cider Glaze

with roasted shallot Brussels sprouts

Prep & Cook Time: 30-40 min.

Cook Within: 6 days

Difficulty Level: Intermediate

Spice Level: Not Spicy

Rachel Post

Pork and apple go together like nothing else, the sweet and the savory doing a tango on the tongue tips that tantalizes and, well, tastes great. Not just the apple butter: the gooey, salty cheese on top of the succulent pork makes both flavors sing as well.

In Your Box (serves 2)

Due to our just-in-time sourcing model, we may have to send you a substitute ingredient. Not to worry! We make sure every ingredient sent to you meets our high quality standards. We’ll keep you informed should a switch occur, so please check the ingredient labels in your meal bag.

Nutrition (per serving)

Recipe Steps

You Will Need

• Salt
• Pepper
• Cooking Spray

• 1 Medium Non-Stick Pan
• 1 Baking Sheet

Before You Cook

If using any fresh produce, thoroughly rinse and pat dry

Turn oven on to 425 degrees. Let preheat, at least 10 minutes

Prepare a baking sheet with foil and cooking spray

Cooking Guidelines

To ensure food safety, the FDA recommends the following as minimum internal cooking temperatures:

• Steak and Pork 145° F (rest cooked meat, 3 minutes) |
• Seafood 145° F |
• Chicken 165° F |
• Ground Beef 160° F |
• Ground Turkey 165° F |
• Ground Pork 160° F

Customize It Instructions

If using chicken breasts, in Step 2, roast vegetables, 6-8 minutes. Follow same instructions as pork in Steps 1 and 3, searing on one side until browned, 2-3 minutes, then transferring, seared side up, to baking sheet. Add toppings and roast until chicken reaches minimum internal temperature, 10-12 minutes.

If using salmon, pat dry and season flesh side with a pinch of salt and pepper. Follow same instructions as pork in Step 3, searing, skin side up, in hot pan, 2-4 minutes. Transfer to baking sheet, seared side up, add toppings, and roast until salmon reaches a minimum internal temperature, 7-10 minutes.

If using NY strip steak, in Step 2, roast vegetables, 6-8 minutes. Follow same instructions as pork in Steps 1 and 3, searing on one side until browned, 2-3 minutes, then transferring, seared side up, to baking sheet. Add toppings and roast until steak reaches minimum internal temperature, 10-12 minutes. Rest, 3 minutes. Halve to serve.

1

Prepare the Ingredients

Trim stems off Brussels sprouts and halve vertically (quarter if larger than a ping-pong ball).

Peel and halve shallot. Slice thinly.

Pat pork chops dry, and season both sides with a pinch of salt and garlic pepper.

2

Roast the Vegetables

Place Brussels sprouts and shallot on prepared baking sheet and toss with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, seasoned salt, and a pinch of pepper. Massage oil, seasoned salt, and pepper into vegetables.

Spread into a single layer and place Brussels sprouts cut side down. Roast in hot oven until tender and beginning to brown, 8-10 minutes.

While vegetables roast, sear pork chops.

3

Sear the Pork Chops

Place a medium non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tsp. olive oil and pork chops to hot pan. Cook undisturbed until browned, 2-3 minutes on one side.

After 8-10 minutes, carefully, remove baking sheet from oven and push vegetables to one side. Baking sheet will be hot! Use a utensil.

Transfer pork chops to empty side of baking sheet, seared side up. Top evenly with apple butter, then cheese. Reserve pan; no need to wipe clean.

4

Finish the Vegetables and Pork Chops

Roast vegetables and pork chops in hot oven until Brussels sprouts are golden brown and fork-tender and pork reaches a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees, 8-10 minutes.

Carefully remove from oven. Rest, 3 minutes.

While vegetables and pork roast, make cider glaze.

5

Make Cider Glaze and Finish Dish

Return pan used to sear pork to medium-high heat. Add apple cider vinegar and honey to hot pan. Bring to a simmer.

Once simmering, stir occasionally until liquid is reduced by half, 2-3 minutes.

Remove from burner. Stir in butter and a pinch of salt and pepper until completely combined.

Plate dish as pictured on front of card, topping pork chops with cider glaze. Bon appétit!

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