Viewers Give Robin Top Mac-n-Cheese Honors

Jan. 29, 2008 — -- Everybody makes macaroni and cheese a little differently, and the "Good Morning America" anchor team is no different.

Diane, Robin, Chris and Sam are sharing their favorite versions of the classic American cuisine. Viewers voted Robin's recipe No. 1, followed by Diane's, Chris' and Sam's. You can cry them all out, and see which one you like best.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cook the multigrain pasta in boiling water for 7-8 minutes. Drain well and set aside. In a deep skillet, melt the buttery spread over medium heat. Add the flour to make a roux and stir well. Pour the milk and cook until the mixture is thick and smooth. Season with salt, dry mustard and cayenne pepper. Stir in 2 cups of shredded cheddar, Fontina and Gruyere cheeses and continue to cook until until fully melted. Add the cooked pasta and stir well. Transfer the mixture to a large casserole dish. Carefully take the presteamed cauliflower florets and sink them into and throughout the casserole. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and then bread crumbs over the top. Bake until bubbly, about 30 minutes at 375 degrees F.

*Recipe courtesy of Beller Nutritional Institute.

Go to the next page for Diane's recipe.

And now for my favorite thing on planet Earth: that would be mac and cheese. There is nothing I love more, and honestly, I could eat this all day long. (It's partially what made me fat.) It's what I always wish I could have more of now. And speaking of wanting more, this version of mac and cheese has more cheese than noodles. What could be better? It's what I dream about at night. Call me crazy Carnie.

Mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food and the best crowd-pleaser I know. It takes you backward, forward, sideways and up and down, and makes you do that little "happy dance" you do inside when something really hits the spot ... until you step on the scale, that is.

For a split second, I thought about offering you a skinnier version of the mac, but let's get real. Just have the real thing and eat less. You could also do an extra 45 minutes on the treadmill. It's sooo worth it.

Stuff You Need:

Serves 10.

1. Grease a 9-inch-by-13 inch nonstick metal baking pan with 1 tablespoon butter. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare macaroni according to the package directions, but make sure it's al dente. (Huh? It should still be a little firm.) Be sure to add a pinch of salt and a dash of olive oil to the boiling water while cooking. Drain pasta well and pour into the baking pan.

2. In a large mixing bowl, add the heavy cream, half-and-half and sour cream; break the cream cheese into little bits with your (clean!) fingers as you add it to the bowl. Add the egg, flour, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and onion powders, dry mustard, cayenne pepper and nutmeg; combine very well with a wire whisk to break up that cream cheese. It will look lumpy, but that's OK.

3. Starting at the corners of the pasta dish, place and push down the Velveeta and white Vermont cheddar cubes. Work your way around and toward the middle (they won't push down completely, but just smoosh them down a bit). Now sprinkle the fabulous Gruyère cheese evenly over the top -- gently and evenly pour that artery-clogging mixture on it, covering all areas. Gently shake the pan afterward for a sec to make sure the liquid is even. I know it sounds gross, but push down and make little holes into areas of the mixture with your fingers. (You're just getting some of that Gruyère down deeper below the surface.) Wash your hands!

4. Sprinkle the jack-and-cheddar combo over the mixture and sprinkle the paprika on top. Put this baby in the oven (make sure your oven rack is right in the middle) and bake until brown and bubbly — we're talking approximately 30 minutes. It will be creamy in the center and more crusty on the top and edges. Chop some fresh chives and get those taste buds ready. When it's done, garnish with the chives (but try not to eat part of the crusty top before you serve it. I'm watching you!).

5. Get out of town! This is actually a one-way ticket to paradise.

Carnie Aside-a:

For a super delish variation, omit the nutmeg and scatter ½ cup finely chopped onions and celery (that have been sautéed in 1 tablespoon. butter until clear) plus a 9 ounce packet of flaked white albacore tuna over the noodles before adding the cream mixture. Never mind what I said before — this is the best ever!*Recipe courtesy of Carnie Wilson's cookbook: To Serve with Love; Hay House Publishers, 2005.

Go to the next page for Chris' recipe.