luxurious mac and cheese 3 stylish ways

Sometimes adding a little luxury to a tried and true family favorite is the way warm feelings of comfort take the ordinary to the posh. Here we offer three fabulously enhanced versions of the favorite mac and cheese - lobster, bacon and a medley of rich cheeses - that make average into extraordinary, a PoshGirls trademark!

Luxe Lobster Macaroni and Cheese

Nothing says luxury like lobster. The creamy crustacean defines elegance and style. With this recipe, we leave nothing to the imagination, except perhaps, thepositive results you will get from feeding it to those you love. Cast your spell and enjoy the delights of this deliciously decadent dish. A crisp spicy Riesling, fruity Chardonnay or hearty French white burgundy will go smashingly with this dish. 

Ingredients

1 pound macaroni
About 2 pounds of lobster tails
1 small onion, diced
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups milk
1 clove fresh garlic, minced
1 shallot, chopped
10 black peppercorns
Freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt to taste
5 Tablespoons flour, plus 5 tablespoons butter, or 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with water
2 pounds grated cheese, mixture of Gruyere, extra sharp cheddar, and Parmagiano Reggiano
3 Tablespoons panko bread crumbs (Japanese)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

1. In a large pot, cook the macaroni according to the directions on the package for al dente. 
2. Drain the macaroni and reserve, also reserve the water in a separate pot. 
3. Steam the lobster tails over the reserved hot water for 3 minutes, then cool.
4. Remove the meat, and reserve both the meat and the shell. In a medium sauce pot, cook the onions in 2 Tablespoons butter just until translucent, and remove. 
5. In the same pot, scald the milk and add the garlic, shallots, and peppercorns. 
6. Add the lobster tail shells to create a seafood stock. 
7. Bring the "stock" to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, season with pepper and, if desired, kosher salt to taste, and cook for 20 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, make a roux by combining 5 Tablespoons of flour with 5 Tablespoons of butter
in a small sauce pot over medium-high heat. 
9. Cook until mixture thickens and develops a golden yellow color. 
10. Set aside roux. 
11. Strain the stock and return it to the pan. 
12. Once stock begins to simmer again, slowly add in the cheeses and whisk until fully incorporated, making the sauce start to thicken. 
13. Add the roux to thicken a little more.
14. Then add the reserved onions and lobster meat. 
15. Toss the sauce with the macaroni, and transfer mixture to a small baking dish. 
16. Top with Panko bread crumbs, and bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until bubbly and browned.

Cheesy Crispy Bacon Mac

We learned a while ago that there is a school of thought, and not a minority one, mind you, that says everything goes better with bacon. Well, in this case, we'd have to agree. This recipe takes advantage of the awesome crunch of Panko bread crumbs combined with the crackly, porky crispness of well-cooked bacon blended with the creamy chew of cheddarcheese. Ooooh, we're just oozing with delight on this one, where an ice-cold beer or hard cider would work well as an accompaniment.

Ingredients

16 ounces elbow macaroni
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
8 slices bacon (thick cut is truly decadent)
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups milk
16 ounces shredded cheese - sharp cheddar and white cheddar work well together

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Cook macaroni according to package directions for al dente. 
3. Meanwhile, chop raw bacon into small pieces. 
4. Drain macaroni and set aside. 
5. Return pot to medium heat and cook bacon until crisp, about 5 minutes. 
6. Pour crispy bacon pieces and grease into a medium bowl; stir in bread crumbs and pepper. 
7. Melt butter in pot, still over medium heat. 
8. Take 1 teaspoon melted butter and grease an 8 x 8 inch square baking dish. 
9. Add flour slowly to butter in pot; cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring continuously. 
10. Slowly whisk in milk, stirring to prevent scalding and cook until sauce is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. 
11. Turn off heat and add cheese and stir until smooth. 
12. Stir in macaroni and coat with sauce. 
13. Spread mixture into greased pan. 
14. Sprinkle top with bacon and Panko bread crumb mixture. 
15. Bake 30 minutes and serve warm.

Creamy Mac with Four Cheeses

When you're looking for classic comfort, a hearty mac and cheese is hard to beat. Unless, of course, there's more creamy cheese! This recipe provides four times the chewy, cheesy, creamy goodness and is sure to warm the heartsof everyone who partakes. This one is sure to bring up fond memories of happy times, and create some new onesas well. If you're looking to pair it, you can choose as you like for this dish is quite versatile. If you're looking to reds, you might choose a pinot noir, chianti classico, or gentle Zinfandel to pair.

And remember, with all of these recipes (or any others that you like) you are not confined to using elbow macaroni. There are all kinds of shapes and sizes of pasta that you can use to add fun and variety to these dishes. Experiment and enjoy!

Ingredients

1 package (16 ounces) macaroni pasta
3 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon butter
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon onion powder
Kosher salt (if desired) and fresh ground pepper to taste
8 ounces Gouda cheese, grated
4 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
4 ounces Swiss cheese, grated
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
2/3 cup Panko (Japanese) bread crumbs
Chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley (optional garnish)

Directions

1. Heat broiler. 
2. Coat a 9 x 9-inch broiler-safe baking dish or six 8-ounce ramekins with nonstick cooking spray. 
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. 
4. Add macaroni and cook to al dente, following package directions. 
5. Drain macaroni and transfer to bowl.
6. Heat 3 Tablespoons of butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat until melted. 
7. Add flour, whisking to blend. 
8. Gradually add milk; whisk until smooth. 
9. Bring to a simmer over medium to medium-high heat, stirring continuously, to prevent scalding. 
10. Add onion powder. Add salt, if desired, and pepper to taste. 
11. Simmer 3 minutes, then remove from heat.
12. Stir in Gouda, Cheddar, Swiss and 1/4 cup of the Parmigiano Reggiano until the cheeses are melted together and sauce is smooth. 
13. Mix cheese sauce into cooked macaroni and pour mixture into prepared baking dish or ramekins.
14. In medium-size microwave-safe bowl, melt remaining 1 teaspoon butter. Stir in Panko bread crumbs and remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano. 
15. Spread Panko/Parmigiano mixture evenly over the macaroni. 
16. Broil 3 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. 
17. Garnish with Italian flat-leaf parsley, if desired.

We hope you have fun with these dishes and find they add a little extra panache to the care and love you put forth in the kitchen. Being posh is all about finding ways to enjoy the good life, no matter where you find it. Let us know any other ideas you have for luxurious homemade meals.