The ingredient amounts (also in grams) are right in the description and the print recipe is linked there as well. As always, thanks for liking our recipes and videos and sharing our family table each week. ▶🎥Become a Patreon member for full meal videos (plus a large never-before-seen recipe video catalog): www.patreon.com/sipandfeast ▶📝Our Newsletter with free weekly new recipes: www.sipandfeast.com/subscribe/
It's a southern thing, in regards to the topping. I use saltines crumbled, add melted butter unsalted, and paprika for color. I also like crumbled, cheez it's on occasion as well.
I've got a half-pound each of small spirals and small bowties (farfalle), for a little extra fun. Looking forward to trying your version. The recipe I use now is pretty good; it starts with a bacon béchamel...
Usually when James critiques the food I think “eh, the kid’s got a point.” I’m disagreeing with him today. No way is Annie’s better than homemade mac! 😆
@@adhunt1 I'm honestly surprised a stock wasn't used! But yeah the water would definitely water down the taste. Honestly think that's one major reason it didn't have that mac and cheese taste that James said. Also don't think it had enough salt from the cheese since it was watered down
For me I actually like it when he gets sassy. Great comedic moments and also nice seeing today's young people learning to articulate their thoughts on food, beyond "it's good" or "I like to eat that." Our young James has learned to actually explain why he likes or dislike a food. "It's too salty" or "i would have balanced it out with some chili paste" etc
Sodium citrate is literally god-send for mac n cheese. So glad you use it in this and show how important it can be! A lot of people fear these compounds that shouldn't be feared.
@@CindiByTheBook My dude, you will have those side effects if you're consuming handfuls of it. The amount that you actually use in baking is negligible to the human body.
Patients with kidney failure shouldn’t be eating a lot of things - including all the dairy products in mac & cheese so the sodium citrate issue is pretty moot. In any event, as the other commenter pointed out the amounts of SC used in cooking is minimal.
@@CindiByTheBook my dude. you're fighting a battle of ignorance so hard right now. You can literally make homemade sodium citrate by combining lemon juice with baking soda. That is still considered *sodium citrate*. Please, please do some research before you begin a battle.
Me personally, I just use a bit of American cheese for the sodium citrate in it Don't need the basically single use ingredient, and the cheese is very useful for other things such as burgers/grilled cheese/etc. I get there's definitely other stuff in it that's probably not great for me, but eh, it's mac and cheese
Great recipe. A tip for UK viewers is that Dairylea slices (not triangles though, different ingredients) contain Sodium Citrate so they work as an emulsifier and give it that "American Cheese" creaminess. I made it today using 1 slice together with grated Mature Cheddar, Emmental & Parmesan. Without the Sodium Citrate you're just making cheesy milk 👍
@@pandoraeeris7860 So, for a single lemon, roughly how much soda? I was in doubt, so I was going to start with the lemon juice, add soda until the fizz stops, and then a few drops more LJ.
It's all about the mixture of cheeses you use (for that 8.5 rating). Each person has their preference. The technique was great. Going to start trying out the emulsifier myself.
I made homemade Mac and cheese once and my cheese broke, I think it was too hot. I remembered I had sodium citrate in my pantry from my smoking ingredients. 1 tsp into the Mac and cheese mixture and voila….it came together like a dream. Great to know a bit of food science!
I've been watching and enjoying your videos since the beginning. You've finally made it when the "chefs" online are upset you didn't use stock for an fing mac & cheese recipe. Congrats. Keep helping and encouraging us despite haters please.
James is such a smart cookie. And man, I shouldn't watch these videos when I'm hungry, lol. That mac and cheese has me salivating! And I'm honestly a bigger fan of this type of mac and cheese than the baked mac and cheese (I know that's sacrilege in some circles). I can't wait to try this one.
I add Sodium Citrate to make creamy cheese sauces by adding a little American Singles to the sauce. It has sodium citrate in it, so it makes sense that it works to emulsify any cheese sauce. 👍 Love a good creamy Mac n Cheese! I will definitely try this.
I just made this for my family and it was easy and really delicious. I used what cheeses we had in the fridge- Colby Jack and Mozzarella and it turned out great. I forgot the mustard powder. It makes a big pot and even after doling out 6 heaping servings, we still have around 4 cups. The sauce thickens a lot and it is creamy without being greasy or stringy. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
James is the best! I measure everything up to Annies now. I used to (as a kid) served mac and "cheese" from my grandmother using Velveeta. Was honestly the best ever but I will never touch that again and haven't since I looked into the ingredients lol. Having said that, I will give this a shot and thanks again to James for his perfect honesty
so timely and i'm doing this for sure -- last year i brought mac n cheese that i had in trays in the fridge overnight. took an hour longer than i thought to finish in the oven and held up the entire meal. don't think my dad will ever forgive me 😂
Hi James, I've been watching your videos for a few years now and I just wanna say thank you. I have learned a lot from your videos and I always love your / the whole channels vibe🫶🏻 Keep up the amazing work my man. Happy holidays!❤️
In Wisconsin we would need to have all the cheese in it. Love James' rating, no teenager would honestly eat more than 1 bite if he or she didn't really like the food.
Love your recipes...the metric conversion is really really helpful. I made several of your dishes and loved every one of them. Greetings from Germany. :)
Omg....sodium citrate is magic. This is why I love your channel. The best home cooking is levelled up. I also use sodium citrate to make parm broth with my saved rinds. Thank u.
Shredded/grated cheeses usually are coated with cellulose powder to prevent it from clumping together in the package. It also inhibits melting properly. Celllulose strengthens plant cell walls, as in wood. Paper is composed of cellulose fibers.
I love that you basically made Flaming Hot breadcrumbs. My fave mac and cheese has Flaming Hot Cheeto dust on it. Using chili crisp to make it your own is very primo.
If you put about 100 grams of American cheese in place of 100 grams of the cheddar, you don't need to buy sodium citrate separately, because the American cheese has the sodium citrate right in it.
Looking good as always! I love the "science" ingredient, very Alton Brown of you! I'll definitely be picking that up for cheese sauces. We love the chili crisps as well. I mixed it in the bread crumbs before breading pork chops one evening, and it was a hit! Great work as always!
That's a pretty good fast Macaroni Cheese. I'm an old Brit and I just can't say 'Mac and Cheese' although that revolting term has entered our dining establishments. My issue with it is that it has a ton of cheese (red Chedder - what's that?) which I like but if I'm going to clog up my arteries I have to reserve it for the real deal which is baked and so worth the bit of extra time. I also love frying chopped onion in my Macaroni Cheese. By the way, some folk have way too much spare time if they want to criticise you guys and the Taste Tester. You guys are legends and we love the content and yummy recipes.
Mac and Cheese makes it sound like something from McDonalds. I stick with Macaroni Cheese too. I add crispy bacon bits to mine which takes it to another level.
This is a great sounding recipe. In the South there are probably 1000 versions of Mac & Cheese. We LIKE all of them. Your version in now welcome and added to the southern list. lol
I’m a pro grating cheese too - I use my Kitchen Aid attachment! 😂. I’ve watched a lot of your videos and I love hearing what your son has to say. Because he’s young, he sometimes has trouble articulating his feedback, but I find your son, you and your lovely wife delightful!
I use Sodium citrate... it's great... The key to a nice smooth sauce is never stop stirring it... otherwise it can get grainy... also to get to the boxed flavor add a little MSG
If you live in an area (e.g. the UK) where it's not possible to buy sodium citrate in a shop, you can add a bit of process cheese (e.g. Kraft, Dairylea) to the sauce. It'll already have the sodium citrate in it.
You can also make it very easily. All you need is citric acid and baking soda. You could in theory use lime juice but you can also just buy dried citric acid at any place that sells canning supplies.
I made a few different cheese sauces a while back. The last one was "finally we got it right!" I think there was gruyere, mild cheddar, something Italian for extra flavor, and some Velveeta for emulsification. Maybe a small amount of roux as well? Can't find my notes but now that I have this video I'm back baby!
This is a good recipe from childhood with different pastas. James is a great taste tester and also giving ratings. Father and Son look alike with a sliver of different personalities that works. Also used Velveeta cheese. Yes. Ive loved it decades. Still do. Good video.
Nice. .... I really can't think of any recipe that you've prepared that didn't look deliciously tasty. Thank you so much for all of your videos. Tara & James add great content to your productions also. Thanks so much for all of your uploads. :)
Ive made this type of mac and cheese before, and its good.I still like the classic baked with the bechamel base more. This stovetop version is something that kids probably go for more than adults. A mix of good american cheese (like land o lakes) and cheddar is the way to go in baked or stovetop.
I had the same problem with my kids, they just love Kraft Mac-n-Cheese. I’ve since moved them to Velveeta but now I want to try this because it’s real cheese. Kids are also sensitive about different flavors in this dish so when you add things like nutmeg, curry powder, or mustard powder you tend to get a less than positive reaction. What works for us is butter toasted panko crumbs. Tough crowd these kids are.
@@CindiByTheBook I had no idea. Thank you for clarifying. Seems like so many things are poisonous for us. Aspartame, Red Dye #40, sugar, zero sugar sodas, etc. I think I can eat cabbage. Wish I had a bountiful garden.
I've seen videos from your channel for over a year but just now really dug in the past week or so. I finally subbed yesterday. Keep up the great work and don't worry about Reddit. That place is a wasteland of sheer idiocy for the most part!
Thanks as always for the video. I haven't made stove top M&C but it's on the list. I use a bit of sodium citrate in anything liquid that cheese goes into. As you point out Velveeta gets to the same place but having the actual powder on hand this is more flexible. Also it never occurred to me that James was throwing the reviews. It doesn't seem like his style.
Annie's! 🤣🤣🤣 Seriously this looks so good! Definitely cooking this for Thanksgiving! My kids are just as opinionated about food so I'll see how their response is!
I’m not sure I can agree with that, Kraft macaroni and cheese in the blue box is definitely a standard! Lol I do agree with adding American cheese for a better ( I’m not sure that’s the right word, maybe richer) taste. Have a good one!
I never had the sauce break when I made it ... I've used this type of sauce for macaroni. Cheese using for dipping pretzels bath stick. You want it for what you're using it for
Instead of the Sodium Citrate, a few slices of American Cheese will add the same melting quality to the Cheddar. American Cheese contains enough Sodium Citrate to do the job
I've thought about using the sodium citrate to make cheese sauce for Philly Cheese Steak heroes and nachos. You've inspired me to order it so I can make this mac & cheese. I've been making baked mac & cheese for many decades, but this looks like a quick and easy lunch or side dish.
As someone who actually is EXTREMELY close with this family. I will say, James says whatever comes into his mind. I think he takes after me 😆 This recipe looks amazing and is great for thanksgiving side dish! Won’t take up that precious oven space! Thanks for sharing! I would also like to ask, can a béchamel be used in place of the Sodium Citrate if one cannot find it?
Hi. I have only recently found this family making these incredible videos. I’ve scrolled back in time, watching The Taste Tester grow (and the plaid chair disappear!) and find it such a warm and inviting video to watch. I have to say I binge watch this and other friendly cooking videos like it to soothe my anxiety. I’m so happy I stumbled upon this family’s delightful channel. And, yes, I love the honest reviews and the banter. AND the LawngIsland accent is so fun! 😁 Please keep it going! Hugs! From a fan in Northern Wisconsin. Or, in the language of my people, “da nort woods, eh?” 🤣
I like this recipe. I've never really liked baked mac and cheese. The pasta tends to be overcooked and mushy. I like pasta to be al dente. I just bought some sodium citrate and I'm eager to try it out! That will be part of tonight's dinner.
@@CindiByTheBook As a food additive, yes (pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Sodium-Citrate#section=Hazard-Classes-and-Categories). Avoid inhaling it or putting in your eye.
I have experimented quite a bit with macaroni and cheese, dialed it down to fontina, pecorino and a medium sharp cheddar, with half and half and while milk. It makes a pretty creamy sauce if you’re skilled at making a béchamel. I have wanted to try it with some mascarpone next.
Bravo, that sodium citrate (vitamin C) is great stuff, its available in regular "big" grocery stores in the baking aisle... It also works for gravy, cream sauces, fondue, pana cotta anywhere you need a fat to be denatured and emulsify with a watery liquid.
I prefer to mix spicy rotel or hot pace picante sauce on my cheese sauce. On the fence about bread crumbs, but I must try the dry mustard. Great video as always. Last year I tried your au jus recipe and my wife literally went gaga over it. Now she can't wait for it again this year. Dry aging a rib roast already for about 4 weeks so far.
Using evaporated milk, pasta water, and some american seems to add enough emulsifiers to not need sodium citrate. At least, that's what I do for non-bake mac and cheese and it works great!
the pre grated or shredded cheese to stop it from sticking together uses cellulose....yes finely grated wood, just put a block of cheese in the freezer for a half hour then grate it much better and cheaper
I understand what he’s saying here , we were actually talking about this in the kitchen at work tonight, about Kraft Mac being its own thing and homemade never being close to it. I like both kinds butof I don’t make Kraft often. I’d use more mustard in this recipe. I’d even squirt some yellow or spicy brown into the cheese.
I love to make a version of this! Only I add in sautéed onions, sour cream, and crumbled bacon. 😁. And I also add in Trader Joe’s umami seasoning, it adds extra umami and flavor without msg!
American cheese contains sodium citrate. Instead of the straight up sodium citrate, you can use 1 or maybe 2 slices of good quality American cheese (make sure the package says "cheese" and not "cheese food"). I appreciate that you suggest using it near the end of the video.
I like this style of Mac and cheese. It also makes nice nacho cheese sauce. When I want to cook with sodium citrate I do one of two things- Lazy mode: use a slice or two of American cheese, there's always extra melting salts in there, it's also a great way to save a sauce that wants to break. Science mode: I keep citric acid and baking soda on hand for other recipes. What's great is that you can mix the two to make sodium citrate. 2.1 g citric acid + 2.5 g baking soda = 2.9 g sodium citrate and a lot of CO2. So for 15 g you need 13 g soda and 11g citric acid. Just add them to the water. Bonus - this reaction is what makes Alka Seltzer fizz, and sodium citrate is what is called a buffer and can help with acid indigestion without all the gas you get from straight baking soda. I am not a doctor, do your own research, talk to doctors, etc etc. Extra bonus-- you can use this stuff to make bath bombs Keep making the great videos!!
Almost missed this one, better late than never😉. Looks lovely, just a little creeped out with the addition of sodium citrate (that’s probably in lots of things). You mentioned American cheese, I’d probably say Velveeta is the best option, with it I don’t think you need the sodium citrate, (but I could be wrong). James and I have Annie’s pasta in common, for stovetop anyway, I always add a cup of cheddar to the powdered that comes with. I’d say 8 1/2 is an honest rating, good on you Jim. Thanks for sharing, like you I prefer the size pasta you used.🧀👍💕
The ingredient amounts (also in grams) are right in the description and the print recipe is linked there as well. As always, thanks for liking our recipes and videos and sharing our family table each week.
▶🎥Become a Patreon member for full meal videos (plus a large never-before-seen recipe video catalog): www.patreon.com/sipandfeast
▶📝Our Newsletter with free weekly new recipes: www.sipandfeast.com/subscribe/
It's a southern thing, in regards to the topping. I use saltines crumbled, add melted butter unsalted, and paprika for color. I also like crumbled, cheez it's on occasion as well.
I've got a half-pound each of small spirals and small bowties (farfalle), for a little extra fun. Looking forward to trying your version. The recipe I use now is pretty good; it starts with a bacon béchamel...
processed ? too much is processed trying to go natural redo it please all natural
@@obertscloud
If you want “natural”, figure it out yourself. To me, the recipe looks pretty natural. Sodium citrate is a “natural” melting salt.
Your son is so precious. Good job mom and dad, Mac n cheese looks delish!
If i ever have a son i hope I can have a father son dynamic like these guys do
Love it when James gives a “meh” kinda of rating….and then keeps eating🤣🤣 thanks for the video!
My dad is like that. He'll eat a huge plate of something. You ask him if he liked it, and he's like, "It wasn't great."
@@Dalton325 Never turn down a free meal, regardless of taste.
Usually when James critiques the food I think “eh, the kid’s got a point.” I’m disagreeing with him today. No way is Annie’s better than homemade mac! 😆
But when the sauce is made of water??
@@adhunt1that's what I was thinking! Like what 😂
@@JDubST Water inherently doesn’t have flavor! Everything else staying the same, a stock of some kind would’ve amped up the sauce
@@adhunt1 I'm honestly surprised a stock wasn't used! But yeah the water would definitely water down the taste. Honestly think that's one major reason it didn't have that mac and cheese taste that James said. Also don't think it had enough salt from the cheese since it was watered down
Annie's has the advantage of cheese powder, which is going to end more intense.
I can't resist a creamy stovetop mac n cheese!! James is too funny 😅 It's so great to have such unpretentious honesty in the reviews! 😊
For me I actually like it when he gets sassy. Great comedic moments and also nice seeing today's young people learning to articulate their thoughts on food, beyond "it's good" or "I like to eat that."
Our young James has learned to actually explain why he likes or dislike a food. "It's too salty" or "i would have balanced it out with some chili paste" etc
Sodium citrate is literally god-send for mac n cheese. So glad you use it in this and show how important it can be! A lot of people fear these compounds that shouldn't be feared.
@@CindiByTheBook My dude, you will have those side effects if you're consuming handfuls of it. The amount that you actually use in baking is negligible to the human body.
Patients with kidney failure shouldn’t be eating a lot of things - including all the dairy products in mac & cheese so the sodium citrate issue is pretty moot. In any event, as the other commenter pointed out the amounts of SC used in cooking is minimal.
@@CindiByTheBook my dude. you're fighting a battle of ignorance so hard right now. You can literally make homemade sodium citrate by combining lemon juice with baking soda. That is still considered *sodium citrate*. Please, please do some research before you begin a battle.
Me personally, I just use a bit of American cheese for the sodium citrate in it
Don't need the basically single use ingredient, and the cheese is very useful for other things such as burgers/grilled cheese/etc.
I get there's definitely other stuff in it that's probably not great for me, but eh, it's mac and cheese
Great recipe. A tip for UK viewers is that Dairylea slices (not triangles though, different ingredients) contain Sodium Citrate so they work as an emulsifier and give it that "American Cheese" creaminess. I made it today using 1 slice together with grated Mature Cheddar, Emmental & Parmesan. Without the Sodium Citrate you're just making cheesy milk 👍
Yes, I just use the cheapest slices from Tesco, one seems enough but two doesn't hurt.
Great tip for us across the pond, thank you
Just add some lemon juice to baking soda and you have sodium citrate!
@@pandoraeeris7860 Science!
@@pandoraeeris7860 So, for a single lemon, roughly how much soda?
I was in doubt, so I was going to start with the lemon juice, add soda until the fizz stops, and then a few drops more LJ.
It's all about the mixture of cheeses you use (for that 8.5 rating). Each person has their preference. The technique was great. Going to start trying out the emulsifier myself.
I made homemade Mac and cheese once and my cheese broke, I think it was too hot. I remembered I had sodium citrate in my pantry from my smoking ingredients. 1 tsp into the Mac and cheese mixture and voila….it came together like a dream. Great to know a bit of food science!
I've been watching and enjoying your videos since the beginning. You've finally made it when the "chefs" online are upset you didn't use stock for an fing mac & cheese recipe. Congrats. Keep helping and encouraging us despite haters please.
James is such a smart cookie. And man, I shouldn't watch these videos when I'm hungry, lol. That mac and cheese has me salivating! And I'm honestly a bigger fan of this type of mac and cheese than the baked mac and cheese (I know that's sacrilege in some circles). I can't wait to try this one.
Right?? I like a baked Mac and Cheese, but sure won't say no to this one. 🌿
I like stovetop mac and cheese better too!
I add Sodium Citrate to make creamy cheese sauces by adding a little American Singles to the sauce. It has sodium citrate in it, so it makes sense that it works to emulsify any cheese sauce. 👍 Love a good creamy Mac n Cheese! I will definitely try this.
I just made this for my family and it was easy and really delicious. I used what cheeses we had in the fridge- Colby Jack and Mozzarella and it turned out great. I forgot the mustard powder. It makes a big pot and even after doling out 6 heaping servings, we still have around 4 cups. The sauce thickens a lot and it is creamy without being greasy or stringy. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
James is the best! I measure everything up to Annies now. I used to (as a kid) served mac and "cheese" from my grandmother using Velveeta. Was honestly the best ever but I will never touch that again and haven't since I looked into the ingredients lol. Having said that, I will give this a shot and thanks again to James for his perfect honesty
The entire channel is pure honesty with delicious amazing recipes.
It's pretty obvious that James tells it as it is. We would all love his job, for sure ✨✨
From James' tee shirt I can tell we live close by, so if James becomes unavailable I can fill in anytime.
Adding some worchestershire sauce to the cheese sauce makes it tasty.
so timely and i'm doing this for sure -- last year i brought mac n cheese that i had in trays in the fridge overnight.
took an hour longer than i thought to finish in the oven and held up the entire meal. don't think my dad will ever forgive me 😂
Thanks!
Thanks so much!
Hi James, I've been watching your videos for a few years now and I just wanna say thank you. I have learned a lot from your videos and I always love your / the whole channels vibe🫶🏻 Keep up the amazing work my man. Happy holidays!❤️
In Wisconsin we would need to have all the cheese in it. Love James' rating, no teenager would honestly eat more than 1 bite if he or she didn't really like the food.
It's so wild seeing how much your kids have grown up in just the brief time that I've been watching your videos. This looks like an awesome recipe!
Love your recipes...the metric conversion is really really helpful. I made several of your dishes and loved every one of them. Greetings from Germany. :)
I loved James rebuttal to the redit comment.
Omg....sodium citrate is magic. This is why I love your channel. The best home cooking is levelled up. I also use sodium citrate to make parm broth with my saved rinds. Thank u.
Shredded/grated cheeses usually are coated with cellulose powder to prevent it from clumping together in the package. It also inhibits melting properly. Celllulose strengthens plant cell walls, as in wood. Paper is composed of cellulose fibers.
I thught Cellulose are
the lumps on our thighs that we try to get rid of at the gym. lol
@@atlenebartolino8923 yes but it gets there by eating too much shredded cheese.. thats where all the powder accumulates
James' comments are really really insightful! Love the recipe, emulsifier already ordered!
The taste tester seems honest in his evaluations. Haters will hate, esp on social media and youtube.
I love that you basically made Flaming Hot breadcrumbs. My fave mac and cheese has Flaming Hot Cheeto dust on it. Using chili crisp to make it your own is very primo.
If you put about 100 grams of American cheese in place of 100 grams of the cheddar, you don't need to buy sodium citrate separately, because the American cheese has the sodium citrate right in it.
Looking good as always! I love the "science" ingredient, very Alton Brown of you! I'll definitely be picking that up for cheese sauces. We love the chili crisps as well. I mixed it in the bread crumbs before breading pork chops one evening, and it was a hit! Great work as always!
That's a pretty good fast Macaroni Cheese. I'm an old Brit and I just can't say 'Mac and Cheese' although that revolting term has entered our dining establishments. My issue with it is that it has a ton of cheese (red Chedder - what's that?) which I like but if I'm going to clog up my arteries I have to reserve it for the real deal which is baked and so worth the bit of extra time. I also love frying chopped onion in my Macaroni Cheese. By the way, some folk have way too much spare time if they want to criticise you guys and the Taste Tester. You guys are legends and we love the content and yummy recipes.
Mac and Cheese makes it sound like something from McDonalds. I stick with Macaroni Cheese too. I add crispy bacon bits to mine which takes it to another level.
This is a great sounding recipe. In the South there are probably 1000 versions of Mac & Cheese. We LIKE all of them. Your version in now welcome and added to the southern list. lol
I’m a pro grating cheese too - I use my Kitchen Aid attachment! 😂. I’ve watched a lot of your videos and I love hearing what your son has to say. Because he’s young, he sometimes has trouble articulating his feedback, but I find your son, you and your lovely wife delightful!
This would be great, with mustard and a bottle of beer too.😊❤
I use Sodium citrate... it's great... The key to a nice smooth sauce is never stop stirring it... otherwise it can get grainy... also to get to the boxed flavor add a little MSG
This looks really good and easy. I like the idea of making this when my nieces and nephew are here versus boxed stuff! Thanks for sharing ❤
If you live in an area (e.g. the UK) where it's not possible to buy sodium citrate in a shop, you can add a bit of process cheese (e.g. Kraft, Dairylea) to the sauce. It'll already have the sodium citrate in it.
You can also make it very easily. All you need is citric acid and baking soda. You could in theory use lime juice but you can also just buy dried citric acid at any place that sells canning supplies.
I made a few different cheese sauces a while back. The last one was "finally we got it right!" I think there was gruyere, mild cheddar, something Italian for extra flavor, and some Velveeta for emulsification. Maybe a small amount of roux as well? Can't find my notes but now that I have this video I'm back baby!
Colby Jack is my favorite. Great idea with the bread crumbs.
This is a good recipe from childhood with different pastas. James is a great taste tester and also giving ratings. Father and Son look alike with a sliver of different personalities that works. Also used Velveeta cheese. Yes. Ive loved it decades. Still do. Good video.
Nice. .... I really can't think of any recipe that you've prepared that didn't look deliciously tasty. Thank you so much for all of your videos. Tara & James add great content to your productions also. Thanks so much for all of your uploads. :)
Ive made this type of mac and cheese before, and its good.I still like the classic baked with the bechamel base more. This stovetop version is something that kids probably go for more than adults. A mix of good american cheese (like land o lakes) and cheddar is the way to go in baked or stovetop.
I had the same problem with my kids, they just love Kraft Mac-n-Cheese. I’ve since moved them to Velveeta but now I want to try this because it’s real cheese. Kids are also sensitive about different flavors in this dish so when you add things like nutmeg, curry powder, or mustard powder you tend to get a less than positive reaction. What works for us is butter toasted panko crumbs. Tough crowd these kids are.
TVS painter gives this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️! Good job.
That's pretty cool, the sodium citrate. You learn something new every day.
@@CindiByTheBook I had no idea. Thank you for clarifying. Seems like so many things are poisonous for us. Aspartame, Red Dye #40, sugar, zero sugar sodas, etc. I think I can eat cabbage. Wish I had a bountiful garden.
You and your family are making a great job running this channel! ♥
Oh those bread crumbs- great idea!!!
Perfect timing; I need comfort food. Also we celiacs thank you for not using flour! We can use gluten-free pasta for this.
I've seen videos from your channel for over a year but just now really dug in the past week or so. I finally subbed yesterday. Keep up the great work and don't worry about Reddit. That place is a wasteland of sheer idiocy for the most part!
Awesome video. I did not know about this sodium citrate. Gonna try this!
11:14 This made me laugh really hard. I can't believe someone would accuse your taste tester of not being honest 😂
Thanks as always for the video. I haven't made stove top M&C but it's on the list. I use a bit of sodium citrate in anything liquid that cheese goes into. As you point out Velveeta gets to the same place but having the actual powder on hand this is more flexible. Also it never occurred to me that James was throwing the reviews. It doesn't seem like his style.
Annie's! 🤣🤣🤣 Seriously this looks so good! Definitely cooking this for Thanksgiving! My kids are just as opinionated about food so I'll see how their response is!
Annie’s is every kids standard. I’ve stopped making homemade Mac n Cheese all together. It frustrated me for so long. 😂
I’m not sure I can agree with that, Kraft macaroni and cheese in the blue box is definitely a standard! Lol I do agree with adding American cheese for a better ( I’m not sure that’s the right word, maybe richer) taste. Have a good one!
This looks amazing I love how you explain everything
Cellulose is the anti-caking agent used in processed cheeses. Could also be potato or corn starch
James been hitting the weight room! GO JAMES!
Love Mac & Cheese with ham diced in it. You could add broccoli for a complete meal in one pot. Only one pot to wash.
I never had the sauce break when I made it ...
I've used this type of sauce for macaroni. Cheese using for dipping pretzels bath stick. You want it for what you're using it for
You guys are sooo close to 1M! Know that you are loved, respected, and envied. ✌🏻♥
James is totally adorable!!!!
Instead of the Sodium Citrate, a few slices of American Cheese will add the same melting quality to the Cheddar. American Cheese contains enough Sodium Citrate to do the job
True, but sodium citrate is just baking soda + lemon juice, which everyone has!
I've thought about using the sodium citrate to make cheese sauce for Philly Cheese Steak heroes and nachos. You've inspired me to order it so I can make this mac & cheese. I've been making baked mac & cheese for many decades, but this looks like a quick and easy lunch or side dish.
Looks great to me. I'll will eat it and always be full.
As someone who actually is EXTREMELY close with this family. I will say, James says whatever comes into his mind. I think he takes after me 😆 This recipe looks amazing and is great for thanksgiving side dish! Won’t take up that precious oven space! Thanks for sharing! I would also like to ask, can a béchamel be used in place of the Sodium Citrate if one cannot find it?
Hi. I have only recently found this family making these incredible videos. I’ve scrolled back in time, watching The Taste Tester grow (and the plaid chair disappear!) and find it such a warm and inviting video to watch. I have to say I binge watch this and other friendly cooking videos like it to soothe my anxiety. I’m so happy I stumbled upon this family’s delightful channel. And, yes, I love the honest reviews and the banter. AND the LawngIsland accent is so fun! 😁 Please keep it going! Hugs! From a fan in Northern Wisconsin. Or, in the language of my people, “da nort woods, eh?” 🤣
Alternative to the chili crunch, I like to use Tony Cachere's Creole Seasoning in the topping. Delicious with a little kick!
I like this recipe. I've never really liked baked mac and cheese. The pasta tends to be overcooked and mushy. I like pasta to be al dente. I just bought some sodium citrate and I'm eager to try it out! That will be part of tonight's dinner.
I'd use sharp white cheddar (like Cabot Seriously Sharp).
You should find sodium citrate at your supermarket in the canning aisle. It is commonly used as a preservative.
@@CindiByTheBook As a food additive, yes (pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Sodium-Citrate#section=Hazard-Classes-and-Categories). Avoid inhaling it or putting in your eye.
Agreed…hard to find Sodium citrate in store👍. James is an honest soul, he’s the best…and no way is he prompted by Jim…he’s way too smooth for that❤
I have experimented quite a bit with macaroni and cheese, dialed it down to fontina, pecorino and a medium sharp cheddar, with half and half and while milk. It makes a pretty creamy sauce if you’re skilled at making a béchamel. I have wanted to try it with some mascarpone next.
Bravo, that sodium citrate (vitamin C) is great stuff, its available in regular "big" grocery stores in the baking aisle... It also works for gravy, cream sauces, fondue, pana cotta anywhere you need a fat to be denatured and emulsify with a watery liquid.
@ sodium citrate is vitamin C I guess if you eat 100 oranges you might get an upset stomach
I prefer to mix spicy rotel or hot pace picante sauce on my cheese sauce. On the fence about bread crumbs, but I must try the dry mustard. Great video as always. Last year I tried your au jus recipe and my wife literally went gaga over it. Now she can't wait for it again this year. Dry aging a rib roast already for about 4 weeks so far.
The best trick I ever picked up making mac n' cheese is including sodium citrate in the sauce.
Using evaporated milk, pasta water, and some american seems to add enough emulsifiers to not need sodium citrate. At least, that's what I do for non-bake mac and cheese and it works great!
Your son is JUST FINE and your recipes are GREAT! Keep it up!
Annie's white cheddar is tough to beat!!
the pre grated or shredded cheese to stop it from sticking together uses cellulose....yes finely grated wood, just put a block of cheese in the freezer for a half hour then grate it much better and cheaper
Love your energy. Glad I found your videos.
I understand what he’s saying here , we were actually talking about this in the kitchen at work tonight, about Kraft Mac being its own thing and homemade never being close to it. I like both kinds butof I don’t make Kraft often. I’d use more mustard in this recipe. I’d even squirt some yellow or spicy brown into the cheese.
My go to for creamy Mac and cheese is a mornay sauce with cheddar and guda
Looks very good tome.
That texture looks amazing! And a lot healthier than that stuff in the blue cardboard box!
What!! Well, maybe healthier, you got me there. Lol
I love to make a version of this! Only I add in sautéed onions, sour cream, and crumbled bacon. 😁. And I also add in Trader Joe’s umami seasoning, it adds extra umami and flavor without msg!
Excellent 👍 thank you 💯
Cavatappi is really good pasta to use! 👍🏼
If you do use American cheese in your sauce you probably won't need the sodium citrate. Processed cheese usually has more than it needs for itself.
His dad makes a lot of really good dishes so James' expectations are pretty damn high! lol
That looks so good and doable. Thanks!
You can use a few slices of deli american cheese and it will give it similar chemistry and make it work.
American cheese contains sodium citrate. Instead of the straight up sodium citrate, you can use 1 or maybe 2 slices of good quality American cheese (make sure the package says "cheese" and not "cheese food"). I appreciate that you suggest using it near the end of the video.
Emulsifier... good tip.
Looks yummy. I'm going to try it.
Great job 🎉🎉
I can't wait to try this recipe. I wonder if some onion powder and some garlic powder would boost the flavor a bit??
I like this style of Mac and cheese. It also makes nice nacho cheese sauce.
When I want to cook with sodium citrate I do one of two things-
Lazy mode: use a slice or two of American cheese, there's always extra melting salts in there, it's also a great way to save a sauce that wants to break.
Science mode: I keep citric acid and baking soda on hand for other recipes. What's great is that you can mix the two to make sodium citrate. 2.1 g citric acid + 2.5 g baking soda = 2.9 g sodium citrate and a lot of CO2.
So for 15 g you need 13 g soda and 11g citric acid. Just add them to the water.
Bonus - this reaction is what makes Alka Seltzer fizz, and sodium citrate is what is called a buffer and can help with acid indigestion without all the gas you get from straight baking soda. I am not a doctor, do your own research, talk to doctors, etc etc.
Extra bonus-- you can use this stuff to make bath bombs
Keep making the great videos!!
lov watching the vids some great tips
Almost missed this one, better late than never😉. Looks lovely, just a little creeped out with the addition of sodium citrate (that’s probably in lots of things). You mentioned American cheese, I’d probably say Velveeta is the best option, with it I don’t think you need the sodium citrate, (but I could be wrong). James and I have Annie’s pasta in common, for stovetop anyway, I always add a cup of cheddar to the powdered that comes with. I’d say 8 1/2 is an honest rating, good on you Jim. Thanks for sharing, like you I prefer the size pasta you used.🧀👍💕
Love your vlogs. Can you do after Thanksgiving sandwiches with leftovers. Thanks.