Tag Archives: mac and cheese

Fried Mac & Cheese + How-to Video

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The first time I ever tried fried mac and cheese was at a Cheesecake Factory. I knew it would be a sin to see the words “fried” and “mac and cheese” beside one another in some sort of glorious partnership and not order it. It was like Marvel’s The Avengers, assembling history’s greatest heros (and hottest actors); you can’t not go witness such an epic assembly.

Turns out, The Cheesecake Factory makes some stellar FM&C, and by stellar I mean oh-my-god-I-must-be-dreaming-somebody-slap-me-this-is-so-darn-GOOD. If you ever go to Cheesecake Factory, you must get yourself some fried mac and cheese. Period.

With just one bite, my world was changed. I love deep-fried food, wrong and unhealthy as that love may be, and adding to that repertoire gave me joy. From that bite on, I wanted to try making my own at home. I’m the Smart Cookie Cook; I could make my own Fried Mac and Cheese as good as or better than the old CF.

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Extra Creamy 4-Cheese Stovetop Mac & Cheese

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There’s nothing more disappointing than a dry mac and cheese. On the list of Life’s Most Devastating Disappointments, dry mac is right up there with when the pizza you ordered doesn’t have enough cheese or getting a half-filled container of fries from the drive-thru. It’s like you were robbed of what you longed for and deserved.

In theory, pasta and cheese should always be a winning combination, but it’s not that simple. If the sauce is dry and crumbly, then all you’ve got is a flavorless pile of clumpy mush, and that ain’t appetizing.

I learned a long time ago that the best way to avoid Chronic Dry Mac & Cheese Disappointment Syndrome (CDMCD Syndrome) is to stop trusting restaurants’ macs or other people’s recipes. Occasionally, I find a good mac, but it’s not worth the 9 out of 10 times I don’t.

I specifically designed this Extra Creamy 4-Cheese Stovetop Mac & Cheese to be have a high sauce-to-pasta ratio, yielding a sea of super creamy, rich cheese sauce. I guarantee you’ve never had a mac this luscious in your life.DSC_9633

Here are the secrets to super sauciness: Firstly, I used an epic quantity of four kinds of cheese, each one specifically selected for its creamy meltibility (with the exception of the parmesan, which I chose for its strong flavor). Sharp cheddar is a must-have in a classic mac. Then we’ve got super smooth and soft Muenster and slightly tangy, crazy melty Monterey Jack. The complimentary quartet of cheese is then complimented by a secret ingredient: hot sauce. It doesn’t make it spicy; just a tiny touch adds a hint of something special to each bite.

My second secret to sauciness is making a slightly larger quantity of sauce than most mac and cheese recipes yield, so you get more creamy cheesiness for every noodle. I also used just a bit less than the whole box of noodles, unlike most recipes, so you again get more sauce per noodle.

The final secret is making the mac and cheese stovetop. Oven-baking is a common offender in drying out sauces or making them curdle, so we keep our sauce nice and velvety smooth on the stove. Best of all, this is a MAJOR time-saver, so you can have this indulgent, heavenly mac on the table in 30 minutes or less.

End result? Crazy creamy and gooey mac and cheese like you’ve only dreamed of, loaded with cheese and bursting with the perfect medley of flavors.

Dry mac and cheese? Psh. Yeah right. DSC_9705

A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:

  1. Never made mac and cheese from scratch before? This recipe’s a great place to start.
  2. Get a visual on building the roux for the sauce with this quick video.
  3. You can switch out cheeses, but try to pick ones with good meltibility.
  4. Choose whatever pasta shape you like, but I highly recommend sticking to multigrain and whole wheat pastas. They have a more al dente texture, more protein and fiber, and personally, I think they taste better.
  5. Still want the breadcrumb topping you get with a baked mac and cheese? Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a small skillet. Stir in 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs and cook until toasted and brown. Sprinkle over the top of the mac!
  6. Need more awesome mac and cheeses? Try these:
  7. You’ll be surprised how much more delicious mac and cheese is when you don’t overcook pasta. People think you can boil it forever, but limp, mushy pasta is no good. Stop cooking when it has just a teeny bit of bite left in it; this is called al dente.DSC_9614

Extra Creamy 4-Cheese Stovetop Mac & Cheese
By The Smart Cookie Cook

Ingredients:

  • About 12 oz. cavatappi or elbow pasta (use ¾ of a 16-oz. box, it doesn’t have to be exact)
  • 4 tbsp. butter
  • 1 tsp. minced garlic
  • 4 tsp. all-purpose flour
  • 3 – 4 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
  • 2 cups shredded Muenster cheese
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. hot sauce

Directions:

  1. In a large pot of salted boiling water over high heat, cook the pasta according to box directions. Drain.
  2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until translucent and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the flour so that it’s free of lumps and let cook for one minute, continuing to whisk.
  3. Whisk in 3 cups cream and all the milk until free of lumps. Cover and let simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Do not boil.
  4. Once sauce is thickened, whisk in all the cheeses, salt, and hot sauce until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Test taste to decide if you’d like any more cheese. If sauce is too thick for your liking, whisk in more cream, ¼ cup at a time.
  5. Turn off heat and immediately fold in pasta until well-coated. Serve immediately.DSC_9638

Stovetop 3-Cheese Brussels Sprout Mac & Cheese

When your kitchen is plagued with what Mother Cookie has coined “The Baby Barbie Oven,” cooking big meals can be a tricky task. Every Thanksgiving and Christmas in particular, we battle with how to cook the myriad of side dishes we decided would be a good idea to make. Even though we know we’ll never have enough room, there’s just too much good food we want to try to let our oven size limit our menu.

This past Thanksgiving, my mother and I planned ahead to try and avoid the annual oven fiasco. I decided what absolutely needed to be baked, and what could be done stovetop. I have always, always baked my mac & cheeses in the past, but I thought, why not just do it stovetop? Too often I’ve made what seems like the perfect saucy mac & cheese over the stove, only to transfer it to the oven to bake up golden brown and find that it has dried out too much inside.  But if I serve it straight from the pot, there’s no fear of a dry mac.

Stovetop cooking was the perfect method for my 3-Cheese Brussels Sprout Mac & Cheese. I made my creamiest mac ever with three decadent cheeses: Fontina, the queen of meltiness, sharp white cheddar, strong and robust, and my secret weapon: mascarpone, for one seriously indulgent and smooth sauce. The three in combination are the ultimate trio of cheeses, yielding a crazy creamy and cheesy sauce to submerge adorable bow tie pasta and fresh brussels sprouts in.

You’ve never had a sauce quite so creamy and rich. It’s divine, pure pasta heaven. Because we don’t bake it, there’s no fear it’ll dry up, or that there won’t be a good pasta-to-sauce ratio. There’s plenty of molten cheese to go around! And if you don’t like brussels sprouts, then don’t fear. I guarantee any sprout hater will change their tune when the sprouts are drowned in a decadent, garlicky 3-cheese sauce.

Even though this 5-star mac tastes fancy and supreme, you can have it to the table in under 30 minutes, whereas a baked mac and cheese could take over an hour. But you won’t know the difference; in fact, this is creamier than and just as flavorful as a baked mac.

You have no excuse not to make this cheese-covered dream. It’s quick, easy, and so very decadent.

A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:

  1. If you’re really completely 100% against brussels sprouts, just leave them out.
  2. Bacon would be a fantastic addition to this dish.
  3. Whole wheat or whole grain pasta is the way to go!
  4. Never made a roux? It’s just a fancy word for a stupidly simple step. Check out my how-to video if you don’t believe me!
  5. For a more Italian flavor, replace the white cheddar with parmesan cheese.
  6. Make sure you don’t over cook your brussels sprouts. Nobody likes soggy sprouts!

Stovetop 3-Cheese Brussels Sprout Mac & Cheese
By The Smart Cookie Cook

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. farfalle (bow tie) pasta, or another short-cut pasta like shells or cavatappi
  • 3 tbsp. butter
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp. minced garlic
  • 4 tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
  • 8 oz. (1 cup) shredded fontina cheese
  • 4 oz. (1/2 cup) mascarpone cheese, room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
  • 2 cups fresh brussels sprouts, cooked & drained

Directions:

  1. In a large pot of salted boiling water over high heat, cook the pasta according to box directions until al dente. Drain.
  2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add shallots and garlic and saute until translucent and aromatic, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the flour and let cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk until free of lumps then cover and let simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.
  3. Whisk in all the cheeses, salt, and pepper until smooth and melted. Taste test to decide if you’d like more cheese. If sauce is too thick for your liking, add more milk 1/4 cup at a time. Fold in brussel sprouts followed by pasta until well-coated. Serve immediately.

Nacho Mac & Cheese


Mac & cheese is one of what I consider to be my “ultimate weaknesses,” along with french fries, pizza, and basically any dessert. No matter how hard I try, I just can’t resist a good mac. It’s not one of those situations where I can just be like, “Oh, I’ll just eat a little bit.” No, if I’m going to eat mac and cheese, then you can bet your sticky buns that I’ll eat enough of it to feed an entire fleet of hungry vikings.

Achieving what is deemed as “good” mac and cheese, one that’s worth filling all six of my stomachs with, is easier said than done. Actually, scratch that. I’ve made a multitude of magnificent macs, none of which were that complicated. However, it seems other people really struggle with the concept. Finding a good mac an cheese at a restaurant, for example, can be downright impossible. Some are watery and flavorless, others dry as a bone. A good mac should be just the opposite.

This Nacho Mac & Cheese is exemplary of everything good macs represent. I tweaked my go-to mac & cheese base to be extra saucy and beyond creamy, every noodle crevice coated in cheesy, flavorful heaven. It’s mac & cheese perfection, taken to the next level with a nacho twist.

This mac has every component and every flavor characteristic of nachos, fused into its creamy pasta goodness. The sauce is made with sharp cheddar & Monterey Jack, two ideal nacho cheeses. Then, we crank up the heat with Rotel, chunky diced tomatoes and spicy chiles, giving the sauce a queso-like flavor. It really tastes like nacho sauce, only much better because it’s homemade and there’s no gross artificial ingredients. The icing on the cake is an extra blanket of gooey cheese and a layer of crispy-crunchy tortilla chips. The chips take the place of a traditional breadcrumb topping, making this really feel like a mac-nacho hybrid. It’s almost freaky how well both foods are represented. Freaky…but unbelievably delicious and comforting.

This Nacho Mac & Cheese has no shortage of rich, cheesy sauce, and it sure as sugar ain’t lacking in the flavor department. If you’re ready to spice up a world of blah mac and cheeses, this is the dish that will do it. It may be my favorite mac & cheese I’ve made to date!

Who said you can’t make a meal out of nachos?

A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:

  1. If you want extra kick, switch out the Monterey Jack for pepper jack.
  2. Use whole-grain or whole-wheat noodles. They’re heartier & better for you!
  3. Make sure you only boil the pasta until al dente, meaning it still has a bit of bite left in it, because it will continue to cook when you bake it.
  4. Don’t over-bake! You’ll dry your mac right out.
  5. This makes a big pan of mac & cheese, so you can serve a lot of cheese lovers!

Nacho Mac & Cheese
By The Smart Cookie Cook

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. rotini or shell pasta, preferably whole wheat or whole grain
  • 4 tbsp. butter
  • 1/2 a medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/4 cup cheesy taco seasoning, or 3 tbsp. regular taco seasoning
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, plus 1 cup more for topping
  • 1 cup shredded sharp Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 cans Rotel Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chiles, drained
  • 2 cups chopped tortilla chips

Directions:

  1. In a large pot of boiling salted water over medium heat, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain.
  2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray set aside.
  3. In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter. Add the onions and saute until fragrant and translucent, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the flour and taco seasoning until free of lumps. Let cook, continuing to whisk, for another minute. Whisk in the milk and cream until completely free of lumps. Cover and let simmer until thickened, 10-15 minutes. Whisk in the cheeses until completely melted. Remove from heat and turn off stove. Stir in the salt and Rotel until well-combined.
  4. Transfer cooked pasta back to large pot. If you want your pasta extra saucy, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta. Pour the sauce into the pot with the pasta and stir until well-coated. Pour into baking dish and top with remaining 1 cup cheddar and tortilla chips. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until hot, golden brown, and bubbly. If chips brown too much, cover with aluminum foil until finished. Make sure you pull the mac as soon as a knife inserted in the center comes out hot to the touch. If you over-bake it, it will dry out.
  5. Let sit for 2 minutes then enjoy!

Fried Mac & Cheese Ravioli (or any flavor ravioli you wish)

Before you jump to conclusions about this being a really complicated recipe, I have to confess that I cheated a little bit. Remember those Mac & Cheese Raviolis from Wegmans that I flipped my lid over a little while ago? Well, I took them to the next level by breading them in a delicious, crispy coating then deep-frying ‘em good. But if you don’t have access to a Wegmans, and therefore can’t get your hungry paws on Mac & Cheese Ravioli, then you need not fear. You can use any kind of ravioli in this recipe, whether it be stuffed with ricotta, spinach, four cheeses, chicken, or even nutella. Just pick up a bag of ravioli from the grocery store, and you’re halfway to crispy, crunchy, deep-fried ravioli heaven.

If you’ve never had fried ravioli, you’re missing out. These tender pockets of pasta are wrapped in the most perfectly crisp, golden-brown breading then lightly seasoned. Once you bite through the crunchy, fried glory of that breadcrumb armor, the ravioli gives way to a creamy, cheesy filling. It’s pure delight in every poppable bite. Don’t be surprise when a dozen of these cheese-stuffed pockets disappear.

It’s the kind of snack you inhale like a hungry, hungry hippo-vacuum hybrid.

The best part of these fried ravies is that you don’t need a deep-fryer. I know a lot of people are intimidated by the deep-fryer, and quite honestly, I am too sometimes. Instead, these raviolis take a hot bath in a pan of golden oil atop the stove. Pan on stove top = much less intimidating than a deep fryer.

I highly recommend snagging a bag of Mac & Cheese Ravioli from Wegman’s because they are insanely delectable. Their creamy cheddar cheese filling really makes ‘em taste like mac & cheese. Essentially, it is mac & cheese, but inside-out. However, as I said, any kind of ravioli will work deliciously with this recipe. So go get you deep-fried Italian on!

A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:

  1. Pick any ravioli flavor you like best.
  2. You can make these in the deep fryer if you prefer.
  3. You can add grated parmesan to the breading for an extra cheesy kick!
  4. I served these with marinara sauce, but you could also serve them with a blush sauce or tomato soup.

Fried Mac & Cheese Ravioli (or any flavor Fried Ravioli)
By The Smart Cookie Cook

Ingredients:

  • 1 16-oz. package Mac & Cheese Ravioli, or flavor of you choice
  • 2 cups seasoned breadcrumbs
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 eggs
  • salt, to taste
  • pepper, to taste
  • vegetable oil, for frying
  • marinara sauce, for dipping

Directions:

  1. In a large pot of boiling salted water over high heat, cook raviolis according to package directions. It will only take a couple minutes. Make sure they are al dente, not soggy. Drain and let cool enough to work with. Pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Pour the flour into a large bowl. Pour the breadcrumbs into another large bowl. Then whisk together the eggs and milk in one more large bowl.
  3. Use a fork to dunk each ravioli into the flour and coat evenly. Next, dunk the ravioli into the milk/egg mixture, soaking both sides. Finish with the breadcrumbs, making sure to coat the entire ravioli. To repeat, the order is: flour, milk/egg mixture, breadcrumbs.
  4. Once all the raviolis are breaded, Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick spray. Set aside. Line another baking sheet with paper towels. Set aside.
  5. Pour olive oil into a large, deep nonstick skillet, filling it 1-inch deep. Bring to medium-high heat. Once oil starts to smoke and bubble, add about 6-8 raviolis to the pan. If they do not sizzle when you put them in, the oil is not hot enough.
  6. Fry each side of the ravioli until golden brown, flipping in between. Set finished raviolis on the paper towel-lined tray to soak up extra oil. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Then transfer raviolis to aluminum-lined tray and keep warm in oven while you finish the remaining batches. Serve with marinara sauce for dipping.

Pretzel-Topped Mac & Cheese

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When you’re staring at a 3/4-full bag of pretzels in the pantry that needs to get eaten ASAP before it goes bad, you get creative. I had the pretzels from a previous recipe, but only used a handful out of the big bag. So I was left staring at the residual pretzels that weren’t far form going stale, wondering how to use them up. I could bake with them, sure. But then I began pondering if I could find a savory dish to make with them instead.

Instantly, I thought of a good cheesy mac & cheese with its crispy breadcrumb topping. How easily could those breadcrumbs be replaced with pretzels? Too easily, it seemed. Pretzel-Topped Mac & Cheese was just begging to be made. So made it I did.

I wasn’t sure what to expect, but my instincts were telling me that this would be a winning combination. The pretzels would be a perfect swap for boring breadcrumbs. I suppose people aren’t kidding around when they tell you to trust your instincts because mine were right on point. This mac was out of this world.

Pretzels are the perfect topping for mac & cheese. Their crispy-crunchy texture perfectly contrasts the tender pasta and creamy sauce. Plus, the pretzels lend their signature salty goodness, giving the mac another level of flavor. These guys are like long lost lovers. They were always meant to be together, a match made in heaven. Finally, the lovers have been united, and a delectable romance has been born.

I picked a nice sharp cheddar cheese and mild but distinct muenster. The combination is delicious, and a perfect pairing with the pretzels. The cheeses melt fantastically to yield a rich and creamy sauce. I made sure to use plenty of cheese in the sauce, even adding an extra sprinkle on top, so this mac ain’t lackin’ in cheesy flavor. Plus, the whole sauce gets another flavor boost from my secret mac & cheese ingredient: hot sauce. There’s only a touch, so it’s not overwhelming. It’s just a little kick for this comforting, creamy, gooey, cheesy dish.

Ready to make a break from bland breadcrumb-topped mac & cheese? Then try this pretzel twist instead.

A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:

  1. Do your macs often come out dry? It’s probably because you overbaked.
  2. Make sure your pasta is al dente or it will be limp and soggy after you bake it.
  3. Use the best-quality cheese you can get. It makes a big difference. It’s also important to use freshly grated cheese because pre-shredded doesn’t melt as well.
  4. Worried about the hot sauce? Don’t be. I actually don’t even like hot sauce, but I love it in my mac & cheeses to give it that great flavor kick.
  5. You only need to lightly salt the sauce because the pretzels are very salty.

Pretzel Mac & Cheese
By The Smart Cookie Cook

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. cavatappi or penne, preferably whole grain
  • 3 tbsp. butter
  • 1/2 a small yellow onion, finely chopped or grated
  • 3 tbsp. flour
  • 3 cups milk
  • 2 1/2 cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups freshly shredded muenster cheese
  • 1 tsp. hot sauce (I used Frank’s)
  • 1/8 tsp. salt

For Topping

  • 3 tbsp. butter, melted
  • 1 cup pretzel twists, chopped

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. In a large pot of boiling salted water over high heat, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain.
  3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan oven medium heat. Add the onions and saute until fragrant and translucent, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the flour, making sure it’s free of lumps. Let cook for a minute, continuing to whisk. Whisk in the milk. When it is free of lumps, cover and let simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Do not boil.
  4. Whisk in the salt, hot sauce, and 3/4 of the cheeses, reserving the remaining quarter for the topping. When sauce is smooth and cheese is melted, remove from heat and stir in pasta until well-coated. Pour into the casserole dish. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
  5. In a small bowl, combine the melted butter and chopped pretzels. Sprinkle evenly over mac and cheese. Cover and bake for 10 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Let sit for a few minutes before serving.

Chili Mac & Cheese w/ Roasted Squash & Beans

You like mac and cheese, right?

Of course you do. What an absurd question for me to ask. And if you somehow don’t enjoy starchy pasta drenched in cheese, then don’t walk away just yet. We might still be able to make our friendship work. You see, this Chili Mac & Cheese w/ Roasted Squash & Beans is unlike any mac & cheese you have ever experienced before. It’s going to alter everything you know about mac & cheese, but in a very good way.

First, we’ve got sharp cheddar and tangy parmesan cheese in a creamy sauce. That’s where traditional stops and zesty takes over. The sauce is laced with some seriously kickin’ spices, like in your favorite tacos or chili. All of a sudden, we go from ho-hum cheese sauce to holy-crap, this is one cheesy fiesta!

You see, this ain’t no side dish; it’s a full balanced meal. We invited beans to this flavor party, not only making the dish heartier, but amping up the mac with protein. Then, guess what? We’re oven-roasting butternut squash to bring out its sweetness and inviting it to the party too. So, you’re getting vitamins from that nutritious but delicious squash, plus tons of protein from both the pasta and the beans. The amount of benefits in this comforting mac and cheese makes you feel less guilty about eating it. Yes, you’re indulging in cheese-covered pasta, but you’re also consuming a well-rounded meal with a lot of nutrition. Let’s not forget that it’s also super hearty and satisfying. There is no other mac on the planet that will fill you up this well.

Of course, we have to crown this pasta with a final blanket of cheese, pepper jack to be exact. It’s that one final kick to really crank up the spice factor. So let’s review: an abundant amount of creamy, cheesy sauce full of zesty flavors, sweet roasted butternut squash, tender beans, and a layer of melty pepper jack cheese. Somebody call the fire department; this mac is on fire!

Forget boring mac and cheese and try this 3-cheese, kicked up, bulked up version instead.

A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:

  1. This is a great meal for the winter. It’s hearty and comforting.
  2. Don’t like squash? Go for sweet potatoes instead!
  3. I love kidney beans, but you could use any kind in this.
  4. Always go for sharp cheddar as opposed to mild. It’s got much better flavor.
  5. I am a huge supporter of whole-grain/whole-wheat pasta. It’s got a great al dente bite naturally, plus so many health benefits!
  6. Make sure your pasta still has a bit of bite to it. If you over-boil it, it’ll be totally soggy by the time it’s baked.
  7. You can forgo the pepper jack for monterey jack instead.

Chili Mac & Cheese w/ Roasted Squash & Beans
Adapted from Rachael Ray of Food Network

Ingredients:

  • 4 tablespoons butter, plus more for the casserole dish
  • 1 pound butternut squash, peeled and diced (or look for diced raw butternut squash in the produce department)
  • olive oil, for drizzling
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 pound whole grain rigatoni or penne
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 cups milk
  • 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
  • One 14-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly butter a casserole dish.
  2. Put the squash on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Roast until the edges are browned, 17 to 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees F.
  3. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water to just shy of al dente, 7 minutes. Drain.
  4. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat in a large pot. Add the chili powder, oregano, cayenne, cumin, and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the milk until lump-free. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the Cheddar and Parmesan and whisk until melted.
  5. Add the pasta, squash, and beans to the pot with the sauce and stir until evenly coated. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish. Top with the pepper jack cheese. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the top is browned and sauce is bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes more.

Mac & Cheese Pizza

Mac and Cheese Pizza is a thing of pure beauty. You take one look at its golden, bubbling, cheese-smothered surface, and you are engulfed in awe. Could such a wonder really exist?  Or is it merely a mirage created from your most spectacular fantasy?

Pinch yourself, and pick your jaw up off the floor. This pizza is more than mere fantasy; it’s 4-cheese reality. That’s right: two super foods have united in this force of starchy, cheesy goodness. I don’t know about you, but in my mind, there are no foods greater than pizza and mac and cheese. What could possibly be better than enjoying them together in the most harmonious hybrid ever created?

If you love comfort foods (who doesn’t?), this is the king of them all. It’s creamy mac and cheese, baked until bubbly perfection, all atop a convenient, crispy crust. Let’s be honest: when there’s a delicious-looking pot of mac and cheese sitting in front of you, do you want to pick up a fork and eat civilly, or do you want to dig in with nothing but your bare hands? Okay…maybe it’s just me, but I prefer the latter.

Let’s talk about the mac. We ain’t putting no boxed, store-bought, mactrosity* on top of a pizza crust. We’re making a darn good, homemade mac with fresh cheese and fragrant garlic (it is a pizza, after all). The sauce is creamy, rich, and plentiful. You can’t skimp on the sauce here since one: we’re making a pizza (which has sauce), and two: you’ve got to balance out the starch. Moreover, this mac has tons of flavor from the garlic, onion, and a secret dash of hot sauce. You’ll be tempted to eat it straight out of the pot, sans crust. But then you’ll bake it atop the fluffy crust with an additional sprinkle of gooey cheese, and you’ll be glad you waited.

This ain’t your ordinary pizza. It’s a fun spin that kids and adults alike will love. With a sea of creamy sauce, four kinds of gooey cheese, tender pasta, and a crisp yet fluffy crust, this is what dreams are made of. So grab a little slice of heaven and indulge.

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3-Cheese Wagon Wheels with Spinach

Guys…

Wagon wheel pasta is really great. I’m not sure if you’re aware of this, because up until last night, I hadn’t even fully understood myself. You see, when I make any form of pasta, wheels basically never pop into my mind as an option. I think of penne, fettucine, and orrechiette. Sure, wheels seem fun, but they never quite fall under my pasta-making radar.

About a week ago, while I was grocery shopping, I spotted a box of wagon wheels in the pasta aisle. I could almost see them rolling along in the box as a sudden impulse took over and I thought, “I must do something with wagon wheels.” This realization pestered me like a little voice in my head until, at last, a pastatunity* presented itself. I was dying to make mac and cheese without a recipe for the first time, and I needed the perfect pasta for the job.

Enter the wagon wheels.

I should’ve never doubted these circular little guys. I mean, just look at them; they’re adorable! Simply gazing upon a bowl of these cheesy wheels is enough to put a smile on your face. But if you really want to be spilling over with joy, then you’ve got to eat them too.

I hate saying things like, “This is the best mac and cheese I’ve ever had,” because then you’re just like “yeah, whatever.” Nevertheless, I feel you have a right to know that this is my favorite mac and cheese I’ve tried. I’ve tried countless recipes, and I’ve had some delicious ones no doubt, but I could never quite get it perfect. Turns out, all I had to do was ditch the recipes and cook from my own mind.

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4-Cheese Mac & Cheese

Let’s not mince words here; mac and cheese is awesome. I won’t say everyone loves the stuff, but almost everyone does. This is unsurprising when one considers that mac and cheese is merely that: a combination of pasta and cheese, two foods beloved by all. Mac and cheese is purely food for the soul. We don’t eat it to nourish, and we sure as sugar don’t eat it to be fit and trim. We eat mac and cheese because it tastes good and, in turn, it makes us feel good too.

I am on a never-ending journey through all of the mac & cheese variations floating around in the recipe universe. Who knew there was such a plethora of ways to prepare pasta and cheese? You can bake it, make it stove top, build a roux, and don’t even get me started on the different pasta shapes and flavors of cheese available.Will I ever try all of the variations on mac and cheese in existence? Probably not. But if I should find a handful of honestly good recipes in an attempt to do so, then I think I’ve accomplished something.

This 4-Cheese Mac & Cheese is the best I’ve tried to date. Often times, I find homemade mac and cheese to be dried out or not cheesy enough. This mac is neither or those things. The sauce is so creamy dreamy that it takes your tongue to a place of euphoric enjoyment. There is no lack of sauce or even a hint of dryness. It’s luscious and indulgent, with such a creamy sea of sauce that you’ll think you just dived into the Great Comfort Sea.

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