My Grandmother’s Mac and Cheese Recipe is my absolute favorite! Grandmother Lane used to make it every Thanksgiving and Christmas, and it was one of those “must-have” sides that I always saved a spot for on my plate. It’s easy to throw together and is such a creamy, cheesy addition to any family meal or event.
Grandmother’s Mac and Cheese
12
servings15
minutes40
minutes501
kcalIngredients
16 Oz Elbow Macaroni
4 Cups Small Curd Cottage Cheese
16 Oz Sour Cream
2 Eggs
1 1/2 Tsp Salt
Pepper to Taste
6 Cups of Shredded Cheddar Cheese (divided)
Directions
- Cook macaroni noodles and drain.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, add cottage cheese, sour cream, salt, & pepper. In a smaller bowl, lightly beat eggs and add to the mixture. Stir ingredients until completely mixed.
- Stir in 4 cups of the cheddar cheese (save the rest for later). Add cooked macaroni and gently stir.
- Pour mixture into a greased 9×13 baking dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until bubbly.
Can You Freeze Grandmother’s Mac and Cheese?
I have frozen this recipe two separate ways! First, this is a great recipe to mix up at an earlier time and then refrigerate or freeze until you’re ready to bake it. I’ve done this many times. If you decide to freeze it, you may want to pull it out the day before to let it thaw out. By holding off on the initial bake, you still get to benefit from that fresh, cheesy melted mac and cheese texture that is so delicious!
What if the mac and cheese is already cooked? One Thanksgiving, we made way too much macaroni. There was still a small glass dish full of mac and cheese at the end of the day. We wrapped up the entire dish with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and stuck it in the freezer. It still tasted delicious when we thawed it baked it several weeks later. As long as it’s wrapped well, it should be good for several months in the freezer.
Is There a Way to Make Healthier Noodles?
There are several different options besides using noodles made with processed flour. You can find a noodle that uses a different base, such as quinoa, rice, or corn. One that we really like is the Ancient Harvest Pasta.
Another option is to use organic durum noodles. You can make your own or you can buy them already made. We love to get the organic semolina noodles from Azure Standard. The only ingredient in this pasta is organic durum semolina wheat. Using noodles like this cuts out a lot of unnecessary ingredients and the use of refined, processed flour. The closer you can get to the original durum wheat, the better.
What Else Do We Love From Azure Standard?
Because Azure Standard has a high commitment to organic and natural products, there are tons of things that you can get from them. The first time I scrolled through their site, I was a little overwhelmed by the quantity of grocery items they carry. Azure operates by allowing you to order and pick up items once a month at a drop-off site. To see if you have a drop-off site near you, check out our link here.
The cheese Azure carries is delicious! You can find it in bulk and package it in smaller batches to freeze for later. We love the tasted of the Mozzarella, calico, and gouda cheese. The butter is another item that tastes so much better than the regular kind found in stores. One of our other favorites is honey. You can get a huge container of honey for a great price.
As I said before, durum wheat and noodles are also great to get from Azure. Usually, we get the pasta that is already made. I love knowing that there’s not a lot of additives in our noodles and that I’m not feeding my family a highly processed food. Azure is also one of the best places we’ve found for getting wheat berries at a bulk price. We’ve bought several different kinds of wheat berries for milling flour and baking our own bread. Our favorite for yeast bread is hard white wheat berries.
What Makes My Grandmother’s Mac and Cheese Different?
If you’re going for a dish that is extra creamy and super cheesy, this is the mac and cheese for you! The cottage cheese, sour cream, and cheddar all melt to form a creamy mixture that is so yummy! This isn’t just a cheddar only recipe. All the cheeses mix together to make it extra cheesy. My Grandmother’s mac and cheese is requested at family events on both sides of the family.
My Grandmother’s Mac and Cheese Brings Back Lots of Memories
All of my Thanksgivings and Christmases growing up were spent visiting Grandmother and Granddaddy Lane’s house. My Grandmother was a true southern lady. When she cooked, she cooked countless sides and dishes. Every inch of her kitchen counter-tops was covered with delicious foods and every dish tasted great. If you were permitted to bring a dessert or snack, you were among the few allowed to contribute. My Grandmother liked to bake everything herself, and she always delivered a true southern feast! Those memories will stay with me forever. Knowing that my Grandmother’s Mac and Cheese was one of my favorites at her house reminds me of all the memories we made together over the years.
