Ingredients
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1 tablespoon chicken bouillon (do not need to use but boy it adds flavour!)
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1 lb macaroni (or other shaped pasta)
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1/4 cup butter
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2 cups 1% low-fat milk (can use 3 cups of whole milk instead of milk and cream but I prefer this combination)
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1 cup half-and-half (can use 3 cups of whole milk instead of milk and cream but I prefer this combination)
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2 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded (can use Pepper Jack but I'm not a fan of the flavour)
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2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
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2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
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salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste
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1/4 cup butter, melted
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1 cup panko breadcrumbs
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1 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded
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1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
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1 tablespoon dried parsley
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1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F Spray or butter a 9 x 13" baking dish.
- To make macaroni: Add bouillon to large pot of water and bring to boil. Once water is boiling, add macaroni and cook until al dente (not quite fully cooked), usually about 4-5 minutes. Drain macaroni in colander.
- To make sauce: While the water is heating and pasta is cooking, melt butter In a large saucepan, over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in flour and cook for about 1 minute, until the flour starts to brown a bit. While whisking constantly, add milk and then cream in a steady stream. Allow the sauce to come to a simmer but keep whisking so it doesn't burn!
- Once the sauce comes to a simmer, stir in the 2 cups Jack cheese and 2 cups cheddar (don't use the cheese for the topping!), adding about a cup at a time. Stir constantly making sure each addition of cheese is melted before adding the next. Add 2 tsps Cajun seasoning, dried parsley, salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat.
- Add the cooked, drained pasta to cheese sauce. Stir until macaroni is fully coated. Pour the cheesy mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
- Prepare the Topping: In a small bowl, mix the melted butter with the Panko bread crumbs, 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning and black pepper, mixing with a fork until bread crumbs are evenly coated.
- Sprinkle the macaroni and cheese with the remaining 2 cups shredded cheeses. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture on top of the cheese.
- Bake until browned and bubbly, about 25 to 30 minutes. Allow to sit for a few minutes before serving. Hot stuff!