Smoky Mac & Cheese

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January 26, 2009

Remember last week, when I told you about the recipes that Joe brought home from The Patriot-News? The first recipe we tried was for spicy pulled pork, and it was really good.

The next recipe from that article that we tried was smoky macaroni and cheese. It is comfort food at its finest, laden with cheese and heavy cream.

As Cookie Monster would say, this is a sometimes food. But it’s sometimes now, and I ate this one all week, too. It was magnificent. The bread crumbs on top are crunchy and the sauce is just spicy enough to be flavorful, but not so much that it makes your nose run.

Next time, we’re going to double the Cheddar cheese (because, you know, it didn’t have enough cheese in it to begin with) and see if that makes it better or not.

Enjoy!

Smoky Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:

3 cups uncooked macaroni (12 ounces)
1.5 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 cups shredded smoked Cheddar cheese (8 ounces)
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, well drained
1 small onion, chopped and sauteed
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (this is NOT the shelf stable can o’ dust you see at pizza shops)
1/3 cup plain dry bread crumbs
2 teaspoons olive oil

Instructions:

Cook and drain macaroni as directed on package. Return to saucepan; cover to keep warm.
Heat oven to 375. Spray a 13x 9 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. In a 2-quart saucepan, heat whipping cream, mustard, mustard, salt, and red pepper to boiling. Reduce heat; stir in cheddar cheese with wire whisk until smooth.
Pour sauce over macaroni. Stir in tomatoes and onions. Pour into baking dish. In small bowl, mix Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Stir in oil. Sprinkle over top of macaroni mixture.
Bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are bubbly and top is golden brown.

Note: Be sure to use heavy whipping cream when making the sauce for this decadent macaroni & cheese. Using milk or half-and-half may result in a curdled sauce. (I don’t understand why, but that’s what it said in the recipe in the newspaper.)

Happily submitted to Mouthwatering Mondays, Homemaking Monday, The Homemaker’s Haven, Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Kitchen Tip Tuesday,Talk to me Tuesday, and Talk About Tuesday

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barb said:

It’s a snow day here today, and this would be so yummy!

# 27 January 2009 at 4:17 am

amy said:

YUM!! That sounds great!

This week we’re trying a new mac and cheese recipe too. Extra sharp cheddar, granny smith apples and a cornbread topping. I love pasta!

# 27 January 2009 at 4:41 am

Dreamer said:

Tis the season for comfort food. sounds absolutely sinful, thanks for sharing!

# 27 January 2009 at 5:55 am

Brenda said:

Homemade mac n cheese is such a delicious comfort food!

# 27 January 2009 at 9:29 am

Sherry said:

Ooohhh! This sounds like a great twist on regular mac n cheese!

# 27 January 2009 at 10:41 am

Rachel said:

YUM YUM!

I love mac and cheese and I am always on the lookout for new versions! This sounds fantastic!!

# 27 January 2009 at 11:09 am

Lisa@BlessedwithGrace said:

That sounds WONDERFUL.

# 27 January 2009 at 12:35 pm

Michelle said:

Mmmmmm. I love adult mac and cheese (finally), but only the really good kind. I’ll have to look for the fire roasted tomatoes, as I didn’t know they premade those. I’ve been roasting my own in the oven, but it’s not the easiest thing to do when I’m short on time — I love this idea better… and I LOVE tomatoes in my mac and cheese. Thanks!

# 27 January 2009 at 1:47 pm

lana said:

wow! I had to forward this link to a friend of mine who is always looking for the perfect mac-n-cheese recipe!

# 27 January 2009 at 5:48 pm

Sab said:

That sounds sooo good on a cold day!

Just to let you know, i’m having a hard time finding the comment button… it blends right into the background in explorer.

I also wanted to share some bloggy love with you! clicky…

# 27 January 2009 at 7:04 pm

SarahHub said:

My mouth is watering!

# 27 January 2009 at 7:46 pm