The Simple Way Ree Drummond Instantly Adds More Flavor To Mac And Cheese

Ree Drummond is known for creating ranch-style, cowboy-friendly comfort dishes, and for good reason. She does, after all, live and work on an enormous Oklahoma cattle ranch where she's often filmed cooking for several people. Her recipes often yield generous servings typically meant to feed very hungry bellies. For example, her macaroni and cheese recipe calls for four cups of macaroni, a full pound of cheese, whole milk, and an egg. She also includes a spice which might surprise a lot of people: dry mustard. This spice cabinet staple is one of eight ingredients we recommend for almost any pasta dish.

On her website, Drummond explains that dry mustard "adds a perfect tangy bite that really balances out all the richness in the sauce. I love the sharpness it brings." Indeed, dry mustard is often described as pungent and sharp, sort of like horseradish but not quite as potent. It adds a subtle heat and the slightest of kicks to a dish like macaroni and cheese. Dry mustard (sometimes called mustard powder) is essentially ground mustard seeds. (On its own, it doesn't taste at all like mustard the condiment, but you can make it into a spreadable version by combining it with vinegar and spices.)

There are dozens of ways to dress up macaroni and cheese. Many times, it's as simple as adding some protein like bacon, crab meat, or vegetables (roasted broccoli or peas, anyone?). Ree Drummond's touch of dry mustard is simple and subtle, but you can enhance mac and cheese in other ways than just sprinkling in some dry mustard. Additional spices you can include are garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.

For a rich, nutty flavor, brown the butter when making the roux. Anthony Bourdain used Worcestershire sauce (and dry mustard) to enhance his mac and cheese. Or try adding some white wine to your sauce. (Wine is the boozy ingredient Ree Drummond adds to her chicken pot pie, but it works here as well.) And while there's nothing wrong with classic cheddar cheese for this dish, experimenting with different cheeses is a wonderful way to play with flavor. Cream cheese, smoked cheese, pimento cheese, and truffle cheese are all unexpected but delicious kinds to use.