Super cheesy, ultra creamy, with a little something special to make them go hmmmm.

Macaroni & Cheese Basics

The “Macaroni” Pasta

I LOVE Cavatappi (translated to “corkscrew” in English) or Cellantani (“whirl” in English).

These whirling twirling double elbow hollow pastas are THE BEST at holding on to cheese sauce. And isn’t that what makes a great macaroni and cheese?!!

The White Sauce

For those of us who took home economics in Middle School you’ll remember learning how to make this, the most basic of the five mother sauces.

I always start my cheese sauce by making a white sauce, also known as Béchamel Sauce.

Classically a white sauce is made with the following ratio:

• 2 Tablespoons of butter
• 2 Tablespoons of flour
• 1 cup of whole milk
• salt & pepper to taste

For this recipe, I finish my white sauce with a little seasoning of dry mustard and cayenne. Do not over salt the sauce as the cheeses bring that nice saltiness to the finished dish.

The Cheese

As the title of this post declares – we’ll use three cheeses in this recipe.

• Sharp Cheddar – great melting cheese that brings a deeper flavor profile than the milder varieties
• Gruyere – super creamy, excellent melting cheese with a slightly nutty flavor
• American or better yet, White Queso Dip – that’s right! American cheese gives this cheese sauce it’s incredibly creamy consistency and if your Queso has a little jalapeño kick, even better!

While it will take you a few minutes longer, grate your own cheese. The pre-packed shredded cheese is coated with preservatives like potato starch to keep it from sticking together. This coating changes the consistency and melting qualities.

Plus you get far more for your money when you invest a little elbow grease and grate your own!

Recipe Note: each 8 ounce block of cheese will yield about 3 cups of shredded cheese.

The Crumb Topping

Melted butter, panko breadcrumbs, and shredded parmesan cheese combine to make the most heavenly crumb topping!

Yes, I am squarely on team Crumb Topping. I love a good buttery crispy layer on top of my mac ‘n’ cheese. And my squash casserole. And my cassoulets.

However, for this recipe, if crumbs aren’t your thing (or your kids aren’t fans) then by all means replace the crumb with a little more shredded cheese on top before baking!

Things that make you go hmmm

I’ll never forget the first time I added queso dip to my macaroni & cheese. We were having a family dinner with the kids, a few significant others, and my sister Sarah.

Slowly as everyone began to take bites of the various dishes on their plates I could see a little mac ‘n’ cheese lovefest beginning to brew.

“This is really good mac ‘n’ cheese”

“It’s so creamy and cheesy….I love it”

“Omgeee is there queso in this? It’s sooo good!”

“Mom, this is the best mac ‘n’ cheese you’ve ever made.”

The truth is I’ve never made two the same in my life. Sure, there are certain similarities but I always manage to change it up.

Yesterday I had a neighbor ask for the recipe. Insert the emoji with big wide eyes.

So nearly 10 years after creating Lemony Thyme I’m finally putting the recipe in print! Wishing you a little mac ‘n’ cheese lovefest at your house!!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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The Best Three Cheese Mac ‘n’ Cheese

If you want to deliver comfort, bring them The Best Three Cheese Mac 'n' Cheese. It's super cheesy and ultra creamy, with a little extra love.

Course Entree, Side Dish

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Three Cheese Mac 'n' Cheese

• 1 pound dried Cavatappi or Cellentani pasta
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt to taste
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated, divided
• 4 ounces gruyere cheese freshly grated
• 16 ounces White Queso Dip or sub small cubed white American cheese

For the Crumb Topping

• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Instructions

For the Three Cheese Mac 'n' Cheese

• Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish.
• Prepare the pasta according to package instructions. Drain.
• Meanwhile, prepare the white sauce by melting butter in a medium heavy bottom pan over medium heat. Once melted and bubbly, whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Mixture should be smooth and bubbly. Gradually whisk in milk. Continue whisking for another minute until fully incorporated and smooth. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently. Continue cooking until mixture has thickened, about 5-7 minutes. Season with mustard powder, cayenne pepper, and salt.
• Reduce heat to low and begin adding grated cheeses and queso, reserving 1/2 cup grated cheddar for assembly. Whisk to combine after each addition, until all cheese is melted and smooth. Pour cheese sauce over cooked pasta and stir well to fully combine.
• Pour half of macaroni mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese. Top with remaining macaroni.

For the Crumb Topping

• Melt butter in microwave or in small pan on stovetop. Remove from heat. Stir in panko and parmesan and mix to combine. Sprinkle crumb topping over mac 'n' cheese. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.

Notes

Recipe can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in refrigerator. Remove from refrigerator and bake at 350° F. for 30 minutes or until heated through.
Remove baking sheet from refrigerator at least 30 minutes prior to baking for more even baking/heating.

The post The Best Three Cheese Mac ‘n’ Cheese appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

We bought a 5 pound cabbage for 88 cents.  Not sure why I chose that as the intro line to this recipe, but dang cabbage is cheap.  Which makes really good cabbage recipes all the more appealing.

We like many, had Corned Beef & Cabbage for St. Patrick’s Day.  We like many, have leftovers to repurpose.  Gruyere Cabbage was a dish my mom made often.  Today, I dug out the 30-year old hand written recipe card, made sense of the measurements, and added bacon.  Oh my!  I think Mom would be proud.

Chop up about 5 cups of cooked cabbage.  Layer half of it with crumbled crispy bacon, shredded Gruyere cheese, a layer of white sauce, then repeat.

Top the second layer with a parmesan cheese/panko breadcrumb topping.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until golden, hot and bubbly.  Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe Note:  After I clicked “Publish” a thought rushed into my head.  If this is the perfect repurpose recipe, using up that leftover cabbage…why don’t we replace bacon with….

Corned Beef.  Haven’t tried it, can’t speak to it.  Yet I’m preeettttty sure it would be awe-mazing’!

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Gruyere Cabbage {with Bacon}

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 5 cups cooked cabbage about 1 small head
• 3 slices bacon cooked crispy & crumbled
• 2 Tbl. butter
• 2 Tbl. flour
• 1 cup heavy cream
• salt & pepper
• 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
• 1/2 Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

Instructions

• Blanch cabbage for 15 minutes (or use leftover cooked cabbage). Shred. Meanwhile, cook 3 slices of bacon until crispy.
• Butter a 2-quart casserole. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter, then whisk in flour. Stir continuously until thick and bubbly. Whisk in heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer; stirring continuously for 1-2 minutes. Sauce will be thick, add a small amount of cream if too thick. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
• Layer half of the cabbage in prepared casserole. Sprinkle with half of the crumbled bacon and half of the Gruyere cheese. Spoon half of the white sauce over top; repeat with remaining cabbage, Gruyere and white sauce.
• Combine panko and parmesan cheese and spread evenly on top. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Allow to rest 10 minutes before serving.

I shared Gruyere Cabbage with Bacon with my work family today as we celebrated St. Patrick’s Day.  What a spread!!

The post Gruyere Cabbage {with Bacon} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

I’m always, always on the lookout for the next best grilled cheese sandwich.  I seek inspiration at every turn.  Every turn down the grocery store isle.  Every turn through food magazine features.  And every page turn of my current favorite cook book.

And there she was.  Right in front of me for nearly a month before she jumped out and bit me.  That gorgeous Emmentaler on Rye sandwich inspired our Blueberry Balsamic Red Onion & Gruyere Grilled Cheese.

Let’s begin with the Blueberry Balsamic Red Onions.  My word they were special.

Have you discovered a premium olive oil & vinegars store in your area?  These specialty shops are popping up across the country and we the consumers are the true winners.  I’ve become a regular customer of Gabby’s Olive Branch.  When you enter the store you are greeted by true oil & vinegar experts.  Not only well versed in the health benefits, but masters at flavor pairing.  I never would have put Blueberry Balsamic with Tuscan Herb Olive Oil, but man what a combination.  Strawberry Balsamic with Organic Basil Oil is another favorite.  The duos are endless and the ‘Tasting Bar’ is well stocked.  So is my pantry with no less than a dozen flavor fused oils and vinegars.

The onions are sautéed until tender then kicked up with brown sugar and balsamic vinegar.  I chose blueberry balsamic, any flavor or plain balsamic would be just fine.

I used Emmentaler and gruyere cheese because they were both already open in the fridge, leftover from our Tomato & Cheese Fondue.  If you make this sandwich, you’ll also have them leftover.  Then you can make the fondue, which is delicious with this nice grainy bread dunked in it.

This Blueberry Balsamic Red Onion & Gruyere Grilled Cheese Sandwich delivered a little sweet & sour flavor punch from the onions, which was balanced nicely with the creamy cheese and buttery bread.  Absolutely delicious.

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Blueberry Balsamic Red Onion & Gruyere Grilled Cheese

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author lightly adapted from Food & Wine

Ingredients

For onions…

• 1 large red onion thinly sliced
• 1 Tbl. butter
• 1 Tbl. olive oil
• 1 Tbl. brown sugar
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 Tbl. blueberry balsamic vinegar or favorite

For sandwich…

• 2 ounces gruyere cheese shredded
• 2 ounces Emmentaler cheese shredded
• 4 slices grainy bread
• butter for pan grilling

Instructions

For onions…

• Heat butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onion until tender, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, add brown sugar and continue cooking for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in balsamic vinegar and cook an additional 2 minutes. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

For sandwich…

• Heat heavy skillet over medium heat. Butter one side of each piece of bread. Place two slices butter side down in skillet. Top with generous amount of onions and half of the shredded cheese. Top with remaining bread slices, butter side up. Use a bacon press or other weight and grill sandwiches until golden brown on both sides.

The post Blueberry Balsamic Red Onion & Gruyere Grilled Cheese appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

My first experience with fondue was in the mid to late 70s while visiting New York City.  Mom took us to a trendy new restaurant called The Melting Pot.  Fondue was the hottest craze to hit the restaurant scene.  We gleefully dipped breads, meats, and seafood into broths and cheeses.  As a kid this might have been the coolest dining experience in my entire 12 year life.

Twenty years went by and somewhere in about the mid-90s fondue made a resurgence.  I’ll never forget the one Christmas that I received three fondue pots as gifts.  Oh yes I did, and one of them is pictured above.

Flash forward another 10 years and fondue once again became engrained in my fond-memory bank.  We had a house full of family in town for my mom’s 75th birthday celebration.  My niece Kate had taken a job at The Melting Pot while attending college.  She began sharing stories of preparing their famous cheese fondue tableside.  Stories alone weren’t going to cut.  Oh no, no, no.  She was going to have to give us the full blown demonstration.  And so she did, down to the exact number of turns on the pepper grinder and shakes of Worcestershire sauce.  It was delicious and entertaining and all 12 of us gleefully dunked bread into her amazing fondue.  In honor of Kate’s birthday today, I’m sharing her recipe above, along with our Tomato & Cheese Fondue recipe below.  Happy Birthday Katie-loo.  We love you!!

Tomato & Cheese Fondue is reminiscent of a good ole grilled cheese sandwich with a side of tomato soup.  And a bit of sophistication.

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Tomato & Cheese Fondue

Ingredients

• 6 plum tomatoes peeled, seeded & diced
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1/4 cup tomato juice
• 6 ounces gruyere cheese shredded
• 6 ounces Emmentaler cheese shredded
• 6 cracks fresh black pepper
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 Tbl. flour
• 1 Tbl. cream
• Crusty bread

Instructions

• Combine tomatoes, garlic and tomato juice and heat until tomatoes are soft.
• Add shredded cheese, pepper and oregano. Stir until melted.
• Combine the flour with 1 Tbl. cream; whisk into cheese.
• Serve with bread cubes.

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At first this Turkey Divan Grilled Cheese Sandwich vision seemed a bit of a stretch.  However, since it was born out of ingredients already in our fridge/pantry it was worth giving it a go.  No risk, no reward.

We love recreating comfort food classics like Turkey Divan.  And then re-recreating them into things like grilled cheese sandwiches.  I make no excuses.  Offer no apologies.  Everything in moderation is what I say. Good laaawd this was good.

I schmeared the bread with a dijonnaise-thyme spread that gave it the extra flavor kick of casserole comfort.  Smoked turkey, steamed broccoli, two kinds of cheese all sandwiched between buttery bread, then pan grilled into Turkey Divan Grilled Cheese Sandwich love.

I’ve come to embrace that one unctuous grilled cheese sandwich, shared by two, is a sure fire way to strengthen a relationship.  Kind of like the saying “a couple who eats grilled cheese sandwiches together, stays together.”

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Turkey Divan Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 1 -2

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 2 ounces smoked turkey breast sliced thin
• 1 cup steamed broccoli florets
• 1 ounce gruyere cheese shredded
• 1 ounce parmesan cheese shredded

Dijon herb spread…

• 1 Tbl. mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp. Mrs. Dash garlic & herb seasoning
• freshly ground black pepper
• butter for pan grilling

Instructions

• Heat cast iron or heavy skillet over medium heat.
• Combine Dijon herb spread ingredients and spread on both slices of bread. Layer one slice with shredded gruyere cheese, smoked turkey, broccoli florets, and shredded parmesan cheese; top with second slice of bread.
• Melt butter in pan and grill sandwich until nicely browned before turning and grilling second side. Using a bacon press or other weight is recommended for grilling.

The post Turkey Divan Grilled Cheese Sandwich appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Curried Corn Pudding. Sharing a fabulous side dish worthy of any festive meal.  Or your lunch on Tuesday. Recipe inspiration: I found this beautiful recipe on the pages of 101 Cookbooks that became my springboard.

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Curried Corn Pudding

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author 101 Cookbooks

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg plus 2 egg whites
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
• 1/2 tsp. curry powder
• a pinch of fresh grated nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 cup freshly grated gruyere cheddar, or parmesan cheese

Instructions

• In a medium bowl combine milk, eggs, corn, half of the scallions, curry powder, nutmeg, salt & pepper. Fill six buttered ramekins. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes until the pudding has set.
• To finish sprinkle with cheese and place under broiler for a couple minutes to lightly brown the cheese. Serve hot sprinkled with remaining scallions.

The post Curried Corn Pudding appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

A French Onion Soup Grilled Cheese Sandwich didn’t seem quite as crazy as my Spaghetti & Meatball Grilled Cheese Sandwich last week.  Boy did I catch some flack for that one from the healthy-eating police. 

So let me get this out of the way right up front…I do not encourage my readers to eat French Onion Soup Grilled Cheese Sandwiches for every meal.  Just when you have a craving for caramelized onions, smothered with melty Gruyere cheese, sandwiched between a fresh bakery onion roll, and grilled into goodness.  And only then.

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French Onion Soup Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Course Sandwich

Servings 2

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 cup caramelized onions see recipe link in post
• 4 oz. Gruyere cheese shredded
• 2 fresh bakery onion rolls
• 2 Tbl. butter softened
• beef broth for dipping

Instructions

• Prepare caramelized onions according to recipe link. Slice onion rolls and butter outsides of each. Heat skillet over medium heat. Place bottom half of each roll into skillet. Pile half of onions on each, topped with half of the cheese. Replace top halves of buns.
• Grill until bottoms are golden brown. Carefully turn over each sandwich and cook until tops are golden.
• Serve with warm beef broth for dipping.

The post French Onion Soup Grilled Cheese Sandwich appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Grilled Rosemary Ham & Gruyere Cheese Sandwich {with Sundried Tomatoes}

I had a hankering for a grilled cheese for lunch today (I feel like I’ve used that line in a post recently…hmmm).  On my short drive from the office to the grocery store my mind was racing through a mental inventory of what ingredients I had to work with at home and what I would need to pick up.  I knew we had a nice hunk of Gruyere cheese and so I decided it would be a grilled ham & cheese.  Simple, yet always delicious.

While waiting for my turn at the deli counter, I stood reading all 47 (or so) different types of ham.  I began to experience the same overwhelmed feeling I get when at a new restaurant and it’s my turn to order.  When I’ve only gotten a third way through the menu and will definitely need to go back to the beginning once I’ve completed my first pass through (and unless everyone else has already ordered how could I ever know what I’m going to order).  Apparently I had THAT kind of look on my face when the man behind the deli counter said….”how about I give you some samples to help you decide?”  Bless you.  We started with his recommendation….Rosemary Ham.

As soon as he said it, the guy in line behind me said “Ugh” indicating “Gross.”  He followed up with “rosemary, fennel, and clove are three strong flavors I can’t warm up to.”  Hmm…there was a time, not that long ago, that I would have had to agree with him on all three accounts.  However, through my fresh herb journey I have developed a fondness for rosemary (and fennel and clove have their place as well).  One bite of the rosemary ham sample and I was all in.  My next stop was the bakery case and there smiling back at me was a mini loaf of Rosemary Olive Oil Bread….it was my sign.  The rest came together in my head on the drive home.  Grilled Rosemary Ham & Gruyere Cheese Sandwich {with Sundried Tomatoes}.  Good God.  I’m certain they serve these in heaven.

Before writing this post I made a call to my grocery store to confirm the brand and exact name of this ham.  Boar’s Head Rosemary & Sundried Tomato Ham.  Ha! Apparently pairing Rosemary with Sundried Tomatoes wasn’t my invention.  I know my time will come :)  Before my deli guy hung up the phone, he said “next time you need to try the Pesto Parmesan Ham.”  Don’t you know my wheels are already spinning.

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Grilled Rosemary Ham & Gruyere Cheese Sandwich {with Sundried Tomatoes}

Course Sandwich

Servings 2

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 4 slices Rosemary Olive Oil bakery bread or your favorite crusty bread
• ¼ lb. Boar’s Head Rosemary & Sundried Tomato Ham sliced for sandwiches
• 2 oz. Gruyere cheese sliced for sandwiches
• 3-4 Tbl. Sundried Tomatoes in olive oil
• Butter for pan grilling

Instructions

• Layer sliced ham, sundried tomatoes, and cheese between two slices of bread. Melt butter in skillet, grill sandwich using a weight or press until golden browned. Turn over, adding additional butter to the pan and grill second side until golden browned and cheese has melted.

The post Grilled Rosemary Ham & Gruyere Cheese Sandwich {with Sundried Tomatoes} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.