My kids totally go gaga for this macaroni and cheese! Seriously, they ask for it all the time. You won’t find and tiny humans asking for the Blue Box at my house. No, siree! My littles enjoy homemade baked mac ‘n cheese with four different blends of cheddar. I don’t blame them. I think I could eat this stuff every single day of dang life and not tire of it. Ok, maybe that is being a tad dramatic but you get the point. This baked macaroni and cheese is the bomb!
This stuff is GOOD! Check out what my pals over at Group Recipes had to say about this recipe:
“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.”
I love adding in meats like bacon and sausage.
Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package Barilla elbow macaroni
9 tablespoons Land O Lakes 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 Kraft shredded muenster cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
(Feel free to up the cheese quotient. And invite me for dinner! )
1 1/2 cups Borden 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 Eggland’s Best eggs, beaten
1/4 teaspoon Morton salt
1/2 tsp. of dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground 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.)
Kielbasa 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
~~~~
CHEESY NOTE: Another great cheese combo and one of my favorite spins is using shredded Asiago, Provolone, Mozzarella and a Sharp Cheddar. Delish!
Or use a pepper jack cheese in the mix. Or a smoked cheddar. I adore cheese and it all works for me and makes this recipe wonderful, comforting and lusciously decadent.
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!
