Because the World Needs Yet Another Mac & Cheese Recipe

OK friends…here’s the deal.  I LOVE macaroni and cheese.  And lately it seems I’ve been on a bit of a mac&cheese kick.  Ever since I tried this Pinterest stovetop mac&cheese recipe, I’ve been working on perfecting my own version.  And I think I finally have a real winner and I am so excited to share it with you. 

What I love about this recipe is that it’s made with pretty basic ingredients.

Here’s all you need to get started:

• 3/4 pound (approx 4 cups) dried pasta
• 8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 tbsp cream cheese
• 3 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 garlic clove, peeled

Start by bringing a big pot of water to a boil.  And let’s talk a little bit about pasta here.  You can use any kind of dried pasta you want, but I would recommend either rotini, penne, shells, or even good-ol’ elbow macaroni. Something with lots of nooks and crannies for soaking up all the yummy cheese sauce you’re gonna make.   I decided use these fun cavatappi noodles. Curls and tubes in one!

Oh and the next thing is this.  Please shred your own cheese.  It makes a difference.  Honest.

Next, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat.  We don’t want it to brown or sizzle.  And then once it’s melted, plop the garlic clove in and let it heat for a couple of minutes.  We’re not trying to cook it, just infuse the butter with a tiny bit of that savory, garlic flavor.

After a couple of minutes, remove the garlic clove and sprinkle in the flour.  Then whisk it in and let it cook over medium heat for a few minutes.

Next, slowly add the milk and continue whisking.  Then continue to cook over medium heat until the sauce thickens (about 5 minutes or so). 

So to this béchamel sauce (so makes me feel like super fancy to say béchamel), we’re gonna add the cheddar and the cream cheese and then mix well.

And now it’s time for my secret ingredient!

{Kelsey cover your eyes.}

Goat cheese.  Yep.  Just a little. Maybe a tablespoon or so.  It doesn’t make taste like goat cheese I promise.  Just adds a teeny little bit of tanginess.  You could totally leave it out, but seriously just give it a try.

And as if the goat cheese wasn’t enough, now we’re really gonna jazz up the sauce.

• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg (you don’t have to be an over-achiever like me with the freshly grated nonsense)
• pinch of salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper.

And that my friends is a might-fine cheese sauce! 

So once your pasta is cooked, drain it well and return it to the large pot. 

The pour in all of that amazing cheese sauce.

OK, let me pause here for a second for a second to discuss a an extremely important detail when it comes to me and how I like my macaroni & cheese – sauce to pasta ratio.  So here’s the deal…at this one particular restaurant in Tulsa, Tripp and I love getting their mac & cheese.  But the problem, I think, is that their sauce to too…well…saucy.  And that’s problem because once you get done with the noodles, there’s all this saucy cheese sauce left in the bottom of the bowl.  And you wouldn’t want to waste it right?  It might cause one (someone who is much less civilized than myself I might add) to use the butt-piece of her bread and scoop up all that extra sauce.  Or so I’ve heard.

All of that was to say that I think that 3/4 pound of dried pasta is the perfect amount for this sauce.

Now, if you want to stop here and serve it just like this, that’s totally fine.  It’s a perfect side dish on it’s own.

But If you feel like being an over-achiever, add a little bit of crumbled, cooked bacon and a sprinkle of panko bread crumbs.

Put it under the broiler for just a minute (seriously – watch it closely) until the top gets golden brown.  And now we’re talking about some seriously awesome macaroni and cheese.

Oh my.  Not to toot my own horn, but this turned out really, really good.  It’s Total. Comfort. Food.  And I can’t think of a better way to celebrate fall. 

Enjoy.

Love, Kelly