How can I make mac and cheese...

[EthiopianFood]

with 1/2 c. half and half, 2 c. sharp cheddar, pasta, seasonings... and no milk? :glare:

[bolt.]

Water and cream might work. Do you make a flour/oil roux and a white sauce for your recipe? Do you have powdered milk at all?

[Mrs Mungo]

Mix half and half with water. Do you have evaporated milk? I made mac and cheese with condensed milk once, it was a little sweet, but it worked.

[Farrar]

Many recipes call for half and half straight out. If you're worried about the fat content, water it down. Either way, most recipes will call for a roux or for you to thicken it with something - usually a bit of flour.

[EthiopianFood]

I literally have no other dairy products. I will try just adding some water and flour, and seeing what I can do. This was a last minute decision, clearly. ;)

[Annie G]

When I make chicken enchiladas with a white cheese sauce, it calls for chicken broth instead of milk. I add it to the butter/flour mix and it makes a fabulous sauce once I add the jack cheese. Maybe you could add some broth if your half and half won't stretch far enough. But you could probably dilute your half and half and have it turn out just fine.

[Joshin]

I always make mac n cheese with broth and milk and you get a nice, thick creamy sauce. Start with a flour/butter roux (or flour/cooking oil if you don't have butter). Whisk in 1 to 1 1/2 cups broth slowly (or water and bouillon). Add your seasonings, the half and half, then the cheese. I never use only milk in white or cream sauces, mainly to save money and cut down on the fat. Honestly it taste just as good, especially if you do baked mac.

[Cosmos]

Mix half and half with water. Do you have evaporated milk? I made mac and cheese with condensed milk once, it was a little sweet, but it worked.

 

Evaporated milk sounds fine. Some recipes call for that in the first place. But condensed milk? Do you mean sweetened condensed milk? I can't imagine what that would taste like. Holy sugar rush.

[EthiopianFood]

Evaporated milk sounds fine. Some recipes call for that in the first place. But condensed milk? Do you mean sweetened condensed milk? I can't imagine what that would taste like. Holy sugar rush.

 

That sounded gross to me too, but when I was growing up, my mom DID put a little sugar in with her Velveeta macaroni and cheese....

 

It turned out okay! I would have liked a cheesier flavor, but it wasn't watery at all. I remembered last minute that I had bought butter for Thanksgiving, so I was able to use that with the flour. I also added onion flakes, dry mustard powder, and black pepper.

 

Thanks for the encouragement! :001_smile: