Hella Good Mac n Cheese

HELLA GOOD MAC AND CHEESE😍

Most definitely the mac and cheese of your dreams and a must have at your Thanksgiving table. Ultra creamy mac paired with ooey gooey cheese pulls and a crunchy breadcrumb topping, this mac is truly what dreams are made of. I’m a big fan of if you’re gonna do something wrong, do it right, so no this is not a healthified version of mac n cheese, but I promise it will be the star of your family gatherings for years to come!

Anyone who knows me knows I take my mac n cheese VERY seriously. It’s an honor in my family to be tasked with bringing mac and cheese as it’s not given to just anyone. It would practically be a sin for someone to show up with a mac and cheese without being given permission to bring it. This is serious stuff y’all. 

I’ve probably been working on perfecting macaroni and cheese since I was 10, and finally nailed a recipe that was an accumulation of all my favorite recipes with a little Rocky twist. After years of making versions of I Heart Recipe’s Soul Food Mac, Lazarus Lynch’s Mac Attack, and Patti Labelle’s Over the Rainbow Mac and Cheese, a few years ago I finally came up with a version that took the best of all those recipes but made it my own, and I’m so thrilled to share that with you all today.

A few tips:

• Buy your cheese in block form and shred it yourself. Yes it is more tedious, but you won’t get the perfect creaminess by using store bought shredded cheese as it contains a cellulose powder that keeps it from melting as well as freshly grated cheese

• This tastes best made day of, but if you absolutely need to, you can layer everything but the breadcrumbs and refrigerate overnight. Day of, add the breadcrumbs and bake right before serving.

• You can play around with different cheeses, but I do recommend the ones listed. If you are gonna swap out a cheese, make sure you swap it for a similar cheese. For example, if you’re gonna swap out the jack, swap it for a similarly creamy cheese, not a sharp or aged one.

• If you are making this for Thanksgiving, you can assemble it early, and pop it in the oven as soon as the turkey is out, as it will be done by the time the turkey is done resting and you finish carving.

Ingredients:

For the Best Macaroni and Cheese:

• 1 lb elbow macaroni (medium-large preferred, the small ones tend to overcook)

• 1 12oz can evaporated milk

• 1 cup half and half

• 8 oz block double cream gouda (not aged) - about 2 cups, shredded

• 8 oz block Monterey jack cheese, shredded

• 8 oz block sharp cheddar, shredded (yellow cheddar like Wisconsin)

• 4 oz block pepper jack (about 1 cup), shredded (or substitute for more Monterey jack)

• 4 oz room temperature cream cheese, cut into cubes

• 3 tbsps unsalted butter

• 2 tbsps flour

• 1 tsp Lawry’s seasoned salt

• ½ tsp garlic powder

• ½ tsp paprika

• 1/4 tsp ground mustard (optional)

• ½ tsp black pepper

• ½ cup Italian seasoned panko breadcrumbs (optional)

Directions:

For the Mac and Cheese:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• Get a large pot full of salted water to boiling.

• Now, work on your cheese sauce.

• In a large high sided skillet or pot, add in the butter on medium heat. Once melted, whisk in the flour to create a roux (it will basically start to form a paste). 

• Cook the flour for 30 seconds-1 minute until well combined and you don’t see any raw flour or clumps.

• Slowly pour in the evaporated milk and half and half, whisking frequently for 2-3 minutes until well incorporated. It won’t be very thick at this time, but it will thicken up as you add the cheeses.

• Add the lawry’s, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and ground mustard and stir to mix in. Taste and adjust for seasoning.

• Add in the grated jack, cubed cream cheese, and gouda, and stir on low until cheese has melted.

• While the cheese is melting, add pasta to the pot of boiling water, stir, and cook 1-2 minutes less than the package instructions until al dente. It should still have a bit of a bite, as it will finish cooking in the oven.

• Once the pasta is cooked, drain and rinse briefly with cold water to stop the cooking process.

• Add to the cheese sauce, stirring until well combined.

• In a separate bowl, combine cheddar cheese and pepperjack.

• Transfer the pasta to a 9x13 casserole and top with the cheddar and pepperjack mixture.

• Top with the panko breadcrumbs if using and bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes until cheese is melted. 

• Serve immediately and enjoy!