Epic food fail

[Night Elf]

My homemade macaroni and cheese was a huge fail. I did temper the eggs, slowly and carefully. It still scrambled. I don't know how I could have done it differently. I watched Alton Brown's video on how to do it and I followed his directions exactly. So we didn't get a creamy, cheesy dish at all. It was a really sad attempt. I have no interest in ever trying that again. That was a big part of our meal so our dinner was ruined. I didn't make any other sides other than canned green beans.

[duckens]

:grouphug:

[AlmiraGulch]

Why don't you try another kind that doesn't require eggs?  Those are just as good, just not custardy. 

[Starr]

We never use eggs in our maccas. Follow a simple recipe like Betty Crocker for a white sauce and add in grated cheese . I'm so sorry it didn't work out for you. But I think my family would like scrambled eggs cheese and noodles.

[Night Elf]

I just assumed all recipes would have the eggs. I'll find a new one. Duh. The dish we had was pretty much cheesy scrambled eggs mixed with pasta. What sauce there was, was watery. There was no cheesy sauce attached to the pasta noodles. It wasn't horrible tasting. It just wasn't mac and cheese like we know it.

[Miss Mousie]

I'm sorry it didn't work out.  :(   The only thing I can think of is that you must move faster than I do - my pasta wasn't hot enough to even tick off the eggs, much less cook them.  ;)

 

 

[Miss Mousie]

Ooh, I just thought of something.  I didn't use eggs straight out of the fridge - I left them on the counter for awhile before I started, so they could come to room temperature.  Maybe that was the difference.

 

 

[AlmiraGulch]

I just assumed all recipes would have the eggs. I'll find a new one. Duh. The dish we had was pretty much cheesy scrambled eggs mixed with pasta. What sauce there was, was watery. There was no cheesy sauce attached to the pasta noodles. It wasn't horrible tasting. It just wasn't mac and cheese like we know it.

 

Take a look at some of the other recipes posted on your original thread.  I know the one I posted doesn't use eggs, and I think I remember seeing several others that didn't.

 

I don't care much for the egg-based mac and cheese.  I prefer the creamier, saucier type, as opposed to the more custard type.

[Plateau Mama]

It just wasn't mac and cheese like we know it.

Homemade Mac & cheese is the one thing I have never been able to make. It always either turns out watery or crunch. Never gotten it righ.

[happypamama]

Grandmom's mac and cheese (my MIL's recipe) doesn't use eggs. It is just a white sauce with cheese in it, and it is delicious. It is on the back of the macaroni box, although I use shells instead of elbows, because you get little pockets of cheesey goodness. I would try again! I am so sorry it didn't turn out the way you wanted!

[zoobie]

Why don't you try another kind that doesn't require eggs? Those are just as good, just not custardy.

I don't prefer recipes with eggs. The Fanny Farmer one I posted in your original thread does not use eggs.

 

Were your eggs room temp or cold from the fridge?

[FriedClams]

I don't use eggs in mine (I use Betty Crocker's recipe). When I try to melt the cheese over heat (burner on as opposed to setting the pan aside and stirring a lot) it gets grainy. Maybe it was a temp thing.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Until this thread I had never heard of mac and cheese with eggs in it.  

[Belacqua]

I'll come out in solidarity, Beth: my mac and cheese was lackluster, as well. As you said...not awful, just not the cheesy goodness I was looking forward to. And I don't even have eggs as a reason. It was a simple recipe I've made successfully any number of times, but I managed to biff it on Christmas. Ah, well. I'm really the only one who likes it, anyway.

[Mandylubug]

I love Paula Dean's Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese. It has eggs in it but I've taken no effort to be careful with the eggs and it has turned out successfully each and every time.

[Mandylubug]

Until this thread I had never heard of mac and cheese with eggs in it.  

 

more of the crockpot/casserole style mac n cheese versions are the ones with the eggs in it. The eggs help bind it together :)

[VaKim]

I don't use eggs in mine, nor do I bother with making a sauce, and everybody loves it. I just cook the macaroni (obviously), drain, mix in a lot of butter and some salt and pepper, layer macaroni and a couple kinds of shredded cheese (we like sharp cheddar, colby, and monterey jack), pour in some milk or half-n-half, and microwave until the cheese melts, stir it up, microwave more if needed, until it is creamy and blended. We do single servings like that too. I cook up some macaroni and drain it and put it in the fridge, then we dish out some and add butter, milk, shredded cheese, salt and pepper and microwave. 

[Mandylubug]

I need to search for that.  I was excited over the prospect of mac and cheese in the crockpot (no clue why exactly) and I tried one recipe.  It was terrible!  I mean it was so bad that I threw it out and I hate throwing out food. 

 

My only "issue" with the recipe is you have to precook the noodles. No big deal.. Except, when I think of a crock pot meal, I consider it cooking everything for me. So, just a heads up, you do have to boil the pasta first.

[Miss Mousie]

My only "issue" with the recipe is you have to precook the noodles. No big deal.. Except, when I think of a crock pot meal, I consider it cooking everything for me. So, just a heads up, you do have to boil the pasta first.

 

So I'm not the only one who will reject a recipe if I have to do more than "throw everything in crock and turn it on"?  Good to know.  I can't help but feel a little miffed if I have to sear the meat separately or what-have-you.  Might as well just skip the crockpot and cook!

[City Mouse]

I just assumed all recipes would have the eggs. I'll find a new one. Duh. The dish we had was pretty much cheesy scrambled eggs mixed with pasta. What sauce there was, was watery. There was no cheesy sauce attached to the pasta noodles. It wasn't horrible tasting. It just wasn't mac and cheese like we know it.

I can understand not wanting to try that again, but based on your description of what the end result was, it sounds like you cooked it too hot or too long and the egg proteins separated. (Or something like that I remember from TV)

[milovany]

Oh, that must have been so frustrating!  I agree with many of the others -- I've never heard of using eggs in macaroni and cheese.  Basic, creamy mac and cheese is just a white sauce with some good cheese added in poured over hot noodles.  No baking, no eggs, no bread crumbs -- it's pretty simple so I hope to encourage you to try again with a more basic recipe.  We make this once a week, at least. 

[Delighted3]

I don't use eggs in mine (I use Betty Crocker's recipe). When I try to melt the cheese over heat (burner on as opposed to setting the pan aside and stirring a lot) it gets grainy. Maybe it was a temp thing.

 

I use the Betty Crocker recipe also and have had the same experience with the cheese.

Joy

 

[Ripley]

That stinks!  I learned the hard way to always do a trial run of a recipe. I've had a few fails for major meals, and worse - when I was supposed to bring a side dish to a non-family gathering. I'll be forever grateful for grocery store deli counters for that one. LOL

 

I decided to try one of the crockpot breakfast casserole recipes posted here a few weeks ago. I did my trial run a week ago, with much success.  Got the (second) batch in the crockpot before Midnight Mass, so it'd be ready when we woke up Christmas morning. Followed all directions exactly, except one: Turn on low for 10-12 hours. I forgot to turn the stupid thing on!! Fortunately Santa had brought apples for everyone, which we topped off with candy from our stockings. I was the only one bummed by my EFF (epic food fail).

[matrips]

How frustrating. Not sure if you're still looking but we use Ronald Reagan's White House Mac and cheese. You can google it up. It's always turned out great, and I've been asked for the recipe when I've served it to others. It does have eggs. I believe it says for all ingredients to be at room temp.

[OrganicAnn]

Martha Stewart's recipe doesn't have eggs.  

[Joker]

I have never heard of eggs in mac n cheese.

 

OP, this is the recipe I use and the only one my dds will eat. I cook it as is except I add more cheese and I then put it into a baking dish and bake for about 20 minutes.

 

http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/12/31/recipe-whole-wheat-macaroni-and-cheese/