Bangin' Macaroni and Cheese

 

For quite a few years I have been on a mission to find the perfect mac and cheese for my youngest daughter who absolutely loves mac and cheese. I have yet to find the "one" for her, but in the meantime I have found plenty of delicious recipes to keep.

For me mac and cheese is the quintessential comfort food. It is creamy, cheesy and it can be a main dish or a side dish. It goes with almost any protein and vegetable, oh and I don't think my youngest or I could ever get tired of eating it.

This mac and cheese is made with three different cheeses, topped with a crunchy panko crumb topping and made from scratch.

Bangin' Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:

• 16 ounces medium shells pasta
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 8 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 8 ounces Monterey jack cheese, shredded
• 8 ounces Colby jack cheese, shredded
• black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In a large pot, cook the pasta according to the package directions, only cooking for half of the cook time and drain well. The pasta will finish cooking in the oven.
3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, over medium-low heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add in the panko and cook stirring frequently until toasted and lightly brown in color. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
4. In the same skillet, melt the remaining butter. Pour in the milk and add in the cayenne pepper.
5. Add in all of the shredded cheese and stir until the cheese has melted and the mixture is smooth. The mixture will be runny and that is okay. It will thicken up in the oven.
6. Add the pasta to the cheese sauce and stir to combine. Season with black pepper.
7. Pour the pasta into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the toasted panko.
8. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.
9. Remove the foil from the baking dish ad return to the oven for 5 minutes or until the panko has browned to your liking.
10. Remove the baking dish from the oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!!!

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 648
Total Fat		49.2g
Saturated Fat		28.1g
Trans Fat		0g
Polyunsaturated Fat		0.1g
Monounsaturated Fat		2.8g
Cholesterol		148.9mg
Sodium		931.5mg
Total Carbohydrates		21.3g
Dietary Fiber		1.1g
Sugars		3.4g
Protein		31.6g
Calcium		31.1%
Iron		4.6%
Potassium		117mg
Vitamin A		16.4%
Vitamin C		0.5%
*Nutritional information will vary depending on the brands you use.

*Adapted from Table For Two.