If you’re anything like me, you probably going to take one look at this recipe list and say forget it. Who wants to work that hard for macaroni and cheese? Not me! Well, the good news is, many of these ingredients are options. The main dish only has a few extra ingredients besides the pasta and four cheeses, so it’s no more difficult than any other dish of this type that I have made. It’s always a huge hit whenever I make it!
Check out what they are saying about this recipe over at Group Recipes:
“A delightfully creamy and rich Macaroni and Cheese. The combination of cheeses is wonderful. It’s perfectly delicious as is but it is also very receptive to a number of other additions (listed below) to make it a one-dish dinner.”
Feel free to make this into your own unique macaroni and cheese dish. It’s so versatile, you can do just about anything you want!
Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni
9 tablespoons butter (The original recipe calls for 9 tbsp. – I like to use 8 tablespoons of unsalted butter – or one stick. You probably could get by with even less if you are so inclined…)
1/2 cup shredded muenster cheese
1/2 cup shredded Sargento cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Sargento sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Sargento monterey jack cheese
(Feel free to up the cheese quotient. And invite me for dinner! )
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
8 ounces cubed processed cheese food (Don’t be a Velveeta snob like I was – this makes the sauce so darn cheesy/creamy. If you want to remain a V-snob, then go for cream cheese, but it won’t be the same. But hey, it’s your thang – do what you wanna do. Heh.)
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp. of dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground McCormick’s black pepper
****
Optional Additions: (any combination)
ground meat, browned (turkey, chicken, beef, pork)
breakfast sausage such as Jimmy Dean regular or hot (browned and drained – 1 lb.)
Keilbasa or Andouille (cut into chunks and browned in a wee bit of olive oil)
Fresh chorizo, casing removed, browned and broken up
1 small onion, diced and sauteed until translucent
jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped (for a milder taste, use Poblano, or go crazy and use serranos or a habanero)
Crushed red pepper flake to taste
3/4 c. of roasted red pepper, chopped
I have even added:
1 can of artichoke hearts, drained and loosely chopped
Instructions
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain well and return to cooking pot.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 8 tablespoons butter; stir into the macaroni.
In a large bowl, combine the Muenster cheese, mild and sharp Cheddar cheeses, and Monterey Jack cheese; mix well.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Add the half and half, 1 1/2 cups of cheese mixture, cubed processed cheese food, dry mustard and eggs to macaroni; mix together and season with salt and pepper.
Transfer to a lightly greased deep 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese mixture and 1 tablespoon of butter.
Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes or until hot and bubbling around the edges.
Serve and enjoy!
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Quick Tip: Pepper jack and or smoked cheddar are also good in here.
Thanks again to Group Recipes for this creamy and delicious recipe.
