There's no taste like home...
When I lived in Philadelphia, it was a quick 4 block walk from my sunny little Center City apartment to Delilah Winder's original Southern Cuisine stand, located within the famed Reading Terminal Market. Ah, those blissful days...the slightest whisper from my hungry belly and minutes later I'd be diving into a giant Styrofoam container of the unctuous, Oprah-acclaimed goodness.
Recipe below...
Notes:
- Some like it creamy: The depth of the Vietri Square Oven Casserole in the photos yields a creamier mac and cheese (less surface area on top to get crispy and golden).
- Some like it crispy: I've also used a shallow baking dish, resulting in more crispy topping.
- For a golden top, I bake for slightly under an hour, then broil on high for 2-4 minutes.
- Hot sauce is a staple on Delilah's tabletops. Crystal hot sauce, a relatively mild choice, compliments this dish well.
The Recipe:
Source: Delilah Winder, as posted on Food Network Web site
2 pounds elbow macaroni
12 eggs
1 cup cubed Velveeta cheese
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, melted
6 cups half-and-half, divided
4 cups grated sharp yellow cheddar, divided
2 cups grated extra-sharp white cheddar
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella
1 cup grated Asiago
1 cup grated Gruyere
1 cup grated Monterey Jack
1 cup grated Muenster
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until slightly al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside to keep warm.
Whisk the eggs in a large bowl until frothy.
Add the Velveeta, butter and 2 cups of the half-and-half to the large bowl of eggs. Add the warm macaroni tossing until the cheese has melted and the mixture is smooth. Add the remaining half-and-half, 3 cups of the sharp yellow Cheddar, the remaining grated cheeses, and salt and pepper, tossing until completely combined in the large bowl.
Pour the mixture into 9 by 13-inch casserole or baking dishes (approximately three 3-quart baking dishes) and bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of sharp yellow cheese and bake until golden brown on top, about 30 minutes more.
Serve hot. Yields about 8-10 generous servings.
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