Colorado River of Cheese and Macaroni

Recipe courtesy Patrick Rhea, owner of Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket in Willowbrook, IL

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Picture of Colorado River of Cheese and Macaroni Recipe Photo: Colorado River of Cheese and Macaroni Recipe
Rated 4 stars out of 5
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  • Read 12 Reviews
Total Time:
1 hr 45 min
Prep
45 min
Cook
1 hr 0 min
Yield:
8 servings
Level:
Intermediate
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Ingredients

  • Basic Bechamel Sauce, recipe follows
  • 2 ounces dry white wine
  • 1 tablespoon ground mustard
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
  • 4 cups (2 pounds) shredded sharp Cheddar, divided (aged no more than 30 days as a longer aged cheese can make your sauce oily)
  • 1 cup (1/2 pound) shredded Asiago, divided
  • 1 cup (1/4 pound) grated Parmesan, divided
  • 8 cups (2 pounds) elbow macaroni

Directions

Bring the Basic Bechamel Sauce to a simmer over low heat. Add the white wine and stir to combine. Stir in the mustard, paprika, and salt and pepper. Gradually add the cheeses, reserving about 1/4 cup of each cheese for the top of the casserole. Stir the sauce thoroughly between each addition of the cheese. Simmer until the cheese is well blended.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the elbow macaroni and cook to al dente. Drain.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large casserole dish (or in numerous smaller dishes) add a 1/2-inch of the warm cheese sauce. Fill the casserole with the drained elbow macaroni. Top with another layer of cheese sauce, covering the macaroni completely and sprinkle with the reserved cheese. Bake the macaroni until the top is brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the casserole dish. Remove from the oven and serve hot.

This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The FN chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.

Basic Bechamel Sauce:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature, divided
  • 1/2 (2 ounces) medium onion, finely diced
  • 10 cups (2 1/2 quarts) whole milk
  • 3/4 teaspoon iodized salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

In a small saucepan over low heat, add the onion and 1/2 cup of butter and saute until very soft, but do not brown. In another saucepan, scald the milk. Stir the sauteed onions into the milk along with the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Make a blonde roux by mixing the remaining 1/2 cup butter and the flour in a small bowl. Add the roux to the simmering milk and cook until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.*

*Cook's Note: This can be prepared 1 to 2 days in advance and refrigerated

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Newest Ratings and Reviews

Read all 12 reviews

  • on September 11, 2012

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    I loved this recipe. I cut it in half and it turned out great! I made a few changes i.e. I added crispy, smoked bacon pieces, some gruyere cheese (only because I had some that needed to be used, and made a topping with panko bread crumbs and EVOO. Can't wait to see what the family thinks!! Yummy!!

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  • on September 20, 2011

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    I dont know what happend ?? i cut the recipe in half and didnt have white wine so i used apple cider. MAking the sauce part, it went wrong somehow. It never got creamy or blended well, it was very gritty and clumpy felt like there was WAY to much milk. I make mac and cheese all the time and very many different ways and this is the only time it has never come out good. After cooking it for 50 mins, it still was very watery like and clumpy. I used all the cheeses from the wedges and even helava good cheddeer, so what i did do wrong ??? not sure if ill atempt this again, it was a lot of cheese and milk. :(

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  • on August 20, 2011

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    I made this without the onions only because although I like onions, I just don't care for them in my mac and cheese. Thyme is my favorite herb, but I was somewhat hestitate about using it, however it did give the dish a nice earthy flavor. I am always trying new mac and cheese recipes to find the absolute ultimate one. I would say this recipe is a close contender. I did use Chardonnay and I think that I will also make it with chicken stock to see if the wine is really needed or not. My family loved it. I agree with another reviewer, get the real parmesan reggiano for the truly best flavor. Please don't use shredded or the canned fake stuff (yuck. It really makes a difference.

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