Smokey Cheddar Mac N Cheese

One day, after a chilly afternoon at the barn, I had a craving for rich home made macaroni and cheese.  I hit up my favorite food blog, Iowa Girl Eats, to see what inspiration I could find.  I love this blog because the writing style is so cute and the recipes are always delicious.  With beautiful pictures, and step by step instuctions, this blog will make anyone feel like they can cook!

I chose her recipe called Not Your Mother's Mac & Cheese, but as usual, I made some changes to make it my own.

This is a rich, baked version of mac n cheese that totally hit the spot.  The leftovers were amazing too!



Smokey Cheddar Mac N Cheese with Asparagus

 

 

Start by making a crunchy topping:

• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 - 1 tsp dried parsley

Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat.  Add the bread crumbs and stir continuously while browning the bread crumbs.  This happened much more quickly than I thought it would, and I actually burned my first attempt. As the bread crumbs start to toast, stir in the parsley, then remove from the heat.  I would say err on the side of removing "too soon" rather than anywhere near burning.  I put too soon in quotes because the bread crumbs are already pretty crunchy, so you really don't need to toast them much at all.  Set aside the topping for later.

Then work on the pasta and sauce:

• 1 box rotini (I use the kind that gives a serving of vegetables within the noodles)
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 3 Tbsp flour
• 1 and 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 and 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 lb co-jack cheese, shredded
• 4-5 ounces smoked cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 can petite diced tomatoes, drained

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Boil salted water in a large pot and cook pasta until it starts to soften, about 5 minutes. Drain the pasta and leave it in the strainer. Using the same pot you made the pasta in, melt the butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add flour while whisking for 1 more minute.  Slowly add milk and chicken broth while whisking.  Make sure each addition is well incorporated before adding more liquid. Continue to stir constantly and cook for 10 minutes while the mixture thickens. Remove from heat.

Add cheeses and stir until melted and combined.  It is best to buy blocks of cheese and shred it yourself, because it will melt better than the "preshredded" kind, which I think has some kind of coating to keep it from clumping in the bag, which also makes melt kind of unevenly.  I think my best change to this recipe was the use of smoked cheddar rather than sharp cheddar.  That smoked flavor was addictive and made us keep going back for more.  I think it is what made the left overs so appetizing too.  Sometimes a unique flavor like that really improves a dish.

Next add the pasta into the cheese sauce and stir to coat.  Stir in the tomatoes.  In my usual style, I was looking for a way to add some veggies and make this a more complete meal.  I chose to add the tomatoes, which worked out well.  They added a little freshness (even though they were canned) and a little brightness to the otherwise heavy dish.  I think broccoli could also work really well here. Pour the whole shebang into a greased 8"x8" glass baking dish.  Cover the top of the pasta with the crunchy topping you made earlier. 

Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until top and sides are just turning golden brown.

 

 

I served it with sauteed asparagus for a little more fresh flavor to balance the heaviness of all the cheese.  It was a completely satifying meal, and the left overs were just as good as the first time.  I highly recommend using smoked cheddar as one of the cheeses.  Just thinking about that fantastic flavor has me wondering how soon I can get away with making this again!