Best-Ever Macaroni and Cheese With Variations
- 8 ounces cavatappi pasta
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 13 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 14 teaspoon salt
- 14 teaspoon pepper
- 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
- 1 23 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 13 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Fontina cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- In large pot, cook pasta according to package directions; reserve 1/2 cup cooking water before draining.
- In small skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat; stir in breadcrumbs.
- Cook, stirring, until browned, 2 minutes.
- Remove from skillet; reserve.
- For cheese sauce, in pasta pot, melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat; whisk in flour, mustard, salt and pepper until blended.
- Whisk in milk; bring to boil.
- Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring, until thickened, 1 minute.
- Stir in 1 2/3 cups cheddar, fontina and reserved water until smooth.
- Remove from heat.
- Stir in pasta until coated with sauce.
- Serve sprinkled with remaining 1/3 cup cheddar, reserved breadcrumbs and parsley.
- For Mac 'n Cheese Pizza.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Coat 12 inch round pizza pan with cooking spray.
- Toss 10 frozen cocktail-size meatballs (thawed and halved) with 1/4 cup pizza sauce and 1/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning; reserve.
- Prepare Best-Ever Macaroni and Cheese, substituting spaghetti for cavatappi and omitting reserved cooking water and breadcrumb mixture; in cheese sauce, omit cheddar, stirring 1 cup mozzarella cheese into sauce along with the 1 cup of shredded fontina cheese.
- Spread pasta mixture in pan.
- Top with 3/4 cup pizza sauce then sprinkle with additional 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese.
- Top with reserved meatballs, cut sides down.
- Bake until cheese melts, 20 minutes.
- Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley.
- For South-of-the-Border Mac 'n Cheese Bake.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Prepare Best-Ever Macaroni 'n Cheese, substituting wagon wheel pasta for cavatappi and omitting breadcrumb mixture; in cheese sauce, omit cheddar and fontina, substituting 1 cup jarred salsa con queso and 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese, stirring all of cheese into sauce.
- Stir 1 link (4 oz) chorizo sausage, sliced, into sauce along with wagon wheel pasta.
- Transfer pasta mixture to 2 quart baking dish.
- Sprinkle with 2 cups crushed white tortilla chips (about 20 chips).
- Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.
- Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro.
- Each recipe serves 6 people.
cavatappi pasta, butter, italian seasoned breadcrumbs, flour, mustard, salt, pepper, milk, cheddar cheese, cheddar cheese, cheese, parsley
Taken from www.food.com/recipe/best-ever-macaroni-and-cheese-with-variations-339627 (may not work)