Macaroni and cheese is a classic recipe that people of all ages love. Of course, many people think of the box mix, but I prefer to make it myself from scratch. Doing that allows you to get a smooth sauce and to use different types of cheeses depending on what you are feeling like in the moment.

I have to admit that in Mexico, macaroni and cheese isn’t really something that you find very often, but here in the United States there are so many varieties and it is a perfect side dish to take to family events and other activities. You can even serve it as a main dish and I doubt anyone would complain!

Macaroni and cheese is the ultimate comfort food and there are so many great recipes for it. I hope that next time you are craving mac and cheese, you give this recipe a shot and that it becomes one of your favorites!

What kind of cheese should you use to make macaroni and cheese?

This recipe will make enough to serve the whole family and uses a combination of mild cheddar cheese, manchego cheese, and American cheese. Of course, if you don’t have any of those on hand, you can replace them with a different cheeses, like colby jack, sharp cheddar cheese or more. If you want a white sauce, you can use parmesan cheeses and sharp white cheddar or another type of white cheese that melts well.

Regardless of the specific type of cheese you use, if you want to have a creamy cheese sauce, you will need to use one that melts easily.

How do you make macaroni and cheese?

Macaroni and cheese is easy to make. Of course, you can just boil the noodles and add the cheese suace, but I like to add some extra flavor to the noodles first. To do so, I start with the following ingredients:

• 1 large bag of elbox macaroni
• 1/4 onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp of olive oil
• Salt to taste

Prepare the elbow macaroni by adding it to a large pot with water and the rest of the above ingredients. Bring it to a boil and let it cook until they are al dente. After that, you will strain the water and set it aside while you make the cheese sauce.

How do you make the best cheese sauce for homemade mac and cheese?

The cheesy sauce that you make is the key to having a creamy mac and cheese that everyone will love. That is why it is important to find the right kinds of cheeses and to follow the instructions closely.

To make this creamy cheese sauce, gather the following ingredients:

• Unsalted butter
• Evaporated milk
• Whole Milk
• All purpose flour
• shredded cheddar cheese
• shredded manchego cheese
• American cheese slices
• Paprika
• ground nutmeg
• Garlic powder
• Black pepper
• Salt

In order to make sure the American cheese melts more easily, cut it into smaller pieces and set aside. Start by heating a large non-stick pot over low heat. When it is hot, add the butter and let it melt, being careful not to burn it.

When the butter is completely melted, add the flour and stir constantly for about 5 minutes. You will know it is ready when the flour starts to turn a light brown color. Add the whole milk and evaporated milk to the flour mixture, along with all of the spices and then raise the temperature to medium heat, stirring constantly so that it doesn’t burn. Let the combination heat up, but don’t let it boil.

Once the sauce starts to thicken, it is time to lower the heat and add the combination of cheeses. Again, you need to keep stirring it constantly until the cheese start to melt. Once the cheese is completely melted, turn off the heat and add the previously cooked macaroni and stir until integrated completely with the cheese sauce.

Now it is ready to serve!

What can you add to macaroni and cheese?

This macaroni and cheese recipe is the real deal all by itself, but there are always ways to modify it to give it even more flavor.

One of my favorite variations is to simply add some homemade bacon bits. To do this, just cook the bacon, let it cool and then crumble it. You can add it once the rest of the recipe is finished and just stir it in.

Another variation is to add some type of meat, like brisket, pulled pork, or chicken. This ensures that it becomes a complete meal and trust me, it really takes it to the next level.

Finally, if you want your macaroni and cheese to have a bit of a kick, you can add cayenne pepper powder, chipotle powder, or red pepper flakes, and replace the American cheese with pepper jack cheese.

If you have leftovers, make sure you store it in an airtight container and eat it within a day or two.

Let me know in the comments below how this turns out!

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Creamy Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

This homemade macaroni and cheese recipe has the most creamy sauce ever and is so easy to make.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword homemade ranch dressing, mac and cheese, macaroni and cheese

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 10 Servings

Calories 363kcal

Author Charbel Barker

Ingredients

For the macaroni

• 1 bag elbow macaroni
• 1/4 onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt

For the macaroni and cheese sauce

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 1/4 cups shredded manchego cheese
• 6 slices American cheese
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp Salt

Instructions

For the macaroni

• Bring 4 cups of water to a boil and add all of the ingredients for the macaroni
• Cook to al dente, remove the bay leaves, strain the water and set aside.

For the macaroni and cheese sauce

• In order to make sure the American cheese melts more easily, cut it into smaller pieces and set aside.
• Start by heating a large non-stick pot over low heat. When it is hot, add the butter and let it melt, being careful not to burn it.
• When the butter is completely melted, add the flour and stir constantly for about 5 minutes. You will know it is ready when the flour starts to turn a light brown color. Add the whole milk and evaporated milk to the flour mixture, along with all of the spices and then raise the temperature to medium heat, stirring constantly so that it doesn't burn. Let the combination heat up, but don't let it boil.
• Once the sauce starts to thicken, it is time to lower the heat and add the combination of cheeses. Again, you need to keep stirring it constantly until the cheese start to melt. Once the cheese is completely melted, turn off the heat and add the previously cooked macaroni and stir until integrated completely with the cheese sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 363kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 930mg | Potassium: 233mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 914IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 562mg | Iron: 0.4mg

The post Homemade Creamy Macaroni and Cheese Recipe appeared first on My Latina Table.

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Guacamole is a staple of Mexican cuisine. Although it is pretty simple to make, it can be tough to get the perfect flavor. With this authentic Mexican recipe, though, you will be an expert in no time. 

Some of my favorite memories from my youth are when I would spend time cooking with my abuelita (grandma). She didn’t have any daughters of her own (she had 10 boys though), and that is why she always loved spending time with her granddaughters. My sister and I had the privilege of growing up in close proximity to her. That gave us the opportunity to learn so much from her.

Every day at dinner time it was like a party – lots of people, lots of food, and lots of smiles. One of the most requested appetizers was always this homemade guacamole. My Abuela had an avocado tree in her yard that grew some of the biggest avocados that I have ever seen. That, combined with this delicious recipe, made for some amazing guac.

I saw her make this recipe more times than I can remember. That’s why I already had the recipe memorized by the time I was about 7 years old. I always looked forward to gathering the avocados from the tree each day, and I was always thrilled when she asked me to make the guacamole.

What Ingredients Do You Need to Make Guacamole?

This guacamole recipe is also great because it only contains fresh, nutritious ingredients, and it only takes about 10 minutes or less to make! All you need for this particular recipe is the following:

• Avocado
• Cilantro
• Onion
• Jalapeno (optional)
• Lime Juice
• Salt
• Tomato

This will be perfect to take to that next get-together where you are supposed to bring something. Your guests will love it!

I can’t think of any time when I have made this recipe where people didn’t ask for the recipe. It must be the combination of authentic flavors, choosing quality avocados, and making it with lots of love. 

How Do You Choose The Perfect Avocado For a Perfect Guac?

Speaking of using fresh avocados, it is super important to choose an avocado that is not too firm, but also not too soft. Make sure you give it a quick (gentle) squeeze at the store before buying it. There should be a little bit of give to it, but it shouldn’t feel too soft. If it doesn’t have any give at all, then it is probably too firm. If you aren’t planning on making the guacamole for a day or two, then the firmer avocado will do, but just make sure that you plan ahead.

How Do You Keep Guacamole From Turning Brown?

One of the most common questions that people ask me about guacamole, is how to keep it from turning brown? You know the feeling – you worked so hard making guacamole, only to have it turn brown right when it is time to eat.

There are a couple of different ways that I have found that really seem to work. 

1. Add the pit of the avocado to the guacamole dish. 
2. Add an extra teaspoon of lime juice.
3. Cover in plastic wrap.

I would recommend doing all three if you can, but remember, as much as you try, the guacamole is going to turn brown if you don’t eat it relatively soon after making it, so plan ahead!

I am so glad that you made it to my site and are getting ready to try this guacamole recipe. It really is easy, but if you have any questions or run into any issues, please feel free to leave me a comment below! If you love this recipe, please rate it with 5 stars at the end of your comment!

Try These Other Authentic Mexican Recipes:

• Tacos al Pastor
• Salsa Verde
• Salsa Roja
• Pork Carnitas Tacos
• Mexican Flautas
• Barbacoa Tacos
• Horchata

Products Used For This Recipe

1. Molcajete. This is a small stone bowl that is used all the time in Mexico for making fresh salsas and guacamole. It makes it really easy to mash the avocados and is a great serving bowl as well! You can get one here to try out for yourself. 
2. Food Chopper: You will need to chop up some veggies for this recipe, so it is helpful to have a food chopper like this one on hand. It makes everything so much easier!

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Homemade Mexican Guacamole Recipe

Guacamole recipe - homemade, authentic Mexican version with simple ingredients that my abuela taught me how to make.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword appetizer, guacamole, mexican food

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 20 tablespoons

Calories 79kcal

Author Charbel Barker

Ingredients

• 2 ripe avocados
• 1/4 onion finely chopped
• 1 jalapeno finely chopped (optional)
• 1/4 cup Cilantro finely chopped
• 1-2 teaspoons of lime juice
• salt to taste
• 1-2 tomato finely chopped

Instructions

• Peel the avocado and remove the core.
• Mash the avocado in a molcajete until it reaches your desired consistency
• Add the onion, jalapeno, cilantro and tomato and mix well.
• Add lime juice and salt to taste.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tbsp | Calories: 79kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g

The post The Best Authentic Mexican Guacamole Recipe appeared first on My Latina Table.

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Coconut chicken curry is one of our favorite meals, not only because it is delicious, but also because it is so easy to make! The coconut flavor takes it to a whole new level – one that you and your family will love!

The first time I made this recipe, I didn’t think that my kids would like it – in fact, I didn’t even think that they would try it. I’m happy to report that I was wrong – they loved it and that is why I make it so often now. This coconut chicken curry is creamy, flavorful, and perfect even for picky eaters.

I love trying to make dishes from different countries and cultures, and it is always so fun to experiment in the kitchen. Sometimes the food is great, and sometime it isn’t, but when it turns out delicious like this one, I just have to share it. The coconut milk gives it the perfect amount of creaminess that you will love.

 The secret to this dish it adding just enough spices is to the chicken to make it juicy and full of flavor. If you don’t have little kids eating it, you can add even more to make it spicy. No matter how you make it, if you follow this recipe, it will be delicious.

You start by cutting the chicken in cubes and seasoning it with a variety of spices such as ground cinnamon, ground cloves, cumin, garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper. You then add it to a hot pan with onions that have been sauteed with curry powder.

Next you add fresh ingredients like tomatoes and red peppers and even peas if you want. You will definitely want to use fresh tomatoes instead of canned so that you can maintain that fresh flavor.

This recipe is a lifesaver on busy days, because it doesn’t take very long at all to make and everyone loves it.

The first time that I ate Indian food was at a local restaurant and that was also the first time I tried chicken curry. It was simply delicious and since then I have been a big fan if Indian food, because they use lots of spices just like we do in Mexico. This version is kid-friendly, but you can add cayenne pepper to give it some kick if you want.

This is just one of many recipes using chicken that we enjoy on a regular basis. If you have missed the others, check them out here:

• Three Cheese Chicken Parmesan
• Honey Molasses Baked Chicken
• Sheet Pan Lemon Garlic Chicken
• Orange Chicken

You are going to love this version – if you do, don’t forget to follow me on Instagram and Facebook! Leave your comments in the comment box below and let me know how it turns out.

Products Used In This Coconut Chicken Curry Recipe

Frying Pan – You will want to use a good frying pan to make this recipe. I like using one like this because it is deep enough to get all of the ingredients inside without spilling over. 

Coconut Milk – There are a few different brands of Coconut Milk, but I have found that they aren’t all the same. This is the brand that I use and it makes for a very creamy, delicious texture. 

Rice Cooker – I always serve this Coconut Chicken Curry recipe with rice, so it is helpful to have a good rice cooker like this one. Of course you can always use an instant pot instead – they are good for so many recipes!

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Homemade Coconut Chicken Curry Recipe

Coconut Chicken Curry has it all - it is slightly sweet, can be spicy, and you can make it in thirty minutes or less.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Indian

Keyword curry, indian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 436kcal

Author Charbel Barker

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into cubes
• 1/2 cup of coconut oil
• 1 Large White Onion diced
• 3 Cloves of Garlic finely chopped
• 3 Roma Tomatoes diced
• 1 Red Pepper diced
• 1 Cup of Tomato Sauce
• 1 Can of Coconut Milk
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons of Curry Powder
• Cumin Salt, Pepper for seasoning the chicken (you can also add ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper if desired).

Instructions

• Heat the Coconut Oil over medium high heat and add the onions.
• Add the curry powder and stir well.
• Add the chicken breasts and season with salt, pepper, cumin (and other optional seasonings) and cook until browned.
• Add the red pepper and tomatoes and stir well.
• Add the tomato sauce and the coconut milk and stir well.
• Let simmer for 20 minutes over medium heat.
• Add the brown sugar and stir well.
• Let cook for an additional 5 minutes and then serve over rice.

Nutrition

Serving: 200grams | Calories: 436kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 398mg | Potassium: 897mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 1120IU | Vitamin C: 36.3mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1.9mg

The post Homemade Coconut Chicken Curry Recipe appeared first on My Latina Table.

This version of Orange Chicken will amaze you! It has the perfect balance of sweet, sour, and spicy, and it pairs perfectly with white fried rice or noodles. You definitely don’t want to pass on this one!

Last year we went on a family vacation to Disney World, and all I can say is that it was so wonderful and fun! During our vacation, my husband and I were able to escape for a day to go to Epcot, which is one of the 4 Disney parks in Orlando.

If you have never been to Epcot, it is basically a park that is dedicated to different cultures from around the world. There you can find and try food and learn about traditions from different parts of the world.

Of course while we were there we went to Mexico, Germany, Ireland, and China – which is where we had some of the most delicious orange chicken that I have tried! Today’s recipe is based on the orange chicken that we tried at Epcot, and let me tell you, this is much better than the orange chicken that you can buy at Panda Express!

This orange chicken recipe takes a little bit of time to make, but it is worth it in the end, because nothing beats homemade! The most difficult part is breading the chicken, but you will be happy you took the time to do it, and everyone – old and young – will love them. These are so great, because they always turn out nice and crispy.

The delicious sauce for this orange chicken can be done in minutes and you can determine how spicy you want it. If you have young kids that are going to be eating, you might not want to add the chili sauce.

You start by heating the sesame oil and sauteing one clove of chopped garlic and some chopped green onion. You will know that they are almost ready when your entire kitchen is filled with the delicious flavors that you are cooking.

Check out the recipe below for the rest of the ingredients and instructions and be sure to let me know how it turned out! I hope that you agree that this is the best Orange Chicken recipe ever!

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Orange Chicken – Better than Panda Express

Author Charbel Barker

Ingredients

For the Chicken

• 1-2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small bit sized pieces and seasoned with salt, pepper, and paprika.
• 3/4 cup of corn starch combined with a pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup of wheat flour combined with a pinch of salt
• 2 eggs beaten with salt and pepper
• Vegetable or canola oil for frying.

For the Orange Sauce

• 1 1/2 cup of fresh orange juice or from a bottle
• Zest from one lemon
• 3/4 cup of chicken stock
• 1/4 cup of soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons of sesame seed oil
• 2 green onions chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic chopped
• 1/4 cup of ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of corn starch
• 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds
• 1 Tablespoon chili sauce optional
• salt to taste

Instructions

For the Chicken

• Heat the oil that you will use to fry in a deep pot or a fryer.
• First cover each piece of chicken in the corn starch.
• Next dip in the egg mixture.
• Finally coat in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess.
• Fry until golden brown and put in a bowl with a paper towel.
• Set aside

For the Orange Sauce

• Heat the sesame seed oil over medium heat with the green onion and garlic and saute for about 3 minutes.
• Add the orange juice and lemon zest and bring to a slow boil for about 2 minutes.
• Add the soy sauce, the vinegar, 1/2 cup of chicken stock, ground ginger, chili sauce (optional), and the brown sugar and stir.
• Separately, in a small bowl, stir together the remaining chicken stock with the corn starch and once combined, add to the sauce.
• Mix everything well, and let it simmer until it has thickened.
• Season with more salt or sugar depending on the taste.
• Toss together with the chicken, add sesame seeds on top and enjoy!

The post Orange Chicken – Better than Panda Express appeared first on My Latina Table.