I've been meaning to share my favorite mac & cheese recipe for some time now. But for some reason, every time it comes out of the oven, we always end up digging in before a picture is snapped.
This isn't your standard gooey, cheesy mac & cheese. Most M&C recipes, including the "best-ever" dish in the LA Times, requires you to make a roux, the base for a white cheesy sauce that is then poured over the pasta before baked in the oven. I tend not to like this type of M&C because there is only so much you can eat before the richness becomes overwhelming. My favorite M&C iteration is surprisingly at Max Brennar, most well known for their chocolate-based desserts and candies. Their version is more dry, with chopped tomatoes and bread crumbs on top. I loved the chopped tomatoes - the acidity really helps cut through the richness of the dish, adding a nice tangy finish.
I am happy to report that while this recipe I found on allrecipes.com is not quite the same as the Max Brennar version, it still produces a drier mac and cheese with tang from the addition of both sour cream and cottage cheese. I never eat cottage cheese by itself but I have to admit, it's a MUST in this recipe. I made a quick bruschetta topping with fresh tomatoes and basil to layer on top before baking. This has become my go-to recipe and depending on who we are serving, we've added crumbled bacon/bacon fat, truffle salt, even sautéed kale for some variety.
My Favorite Mac & Cheese
adapted from allrecipes.com
Ingredients
1 (8 ounce) package elbow macaroni
1 (8 ounce) package shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 (12 ounce) container fat-free small curd cottage cheese
1 (8 ounce) container fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 roma tomatoes, diced
5 fresh basil leaves, chopped
Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
Directions
Prepare the bruschetta mixture by mixing together the chopped tomatoes and basil with a drizzle of balsamic and olive oil. Set aside to allow the flavors to meld together. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, add pasta, and cook until done; drain.
In 9x13 inch baking dish, stir together macaroni, shredded Cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Spread the bruschetta across the top of the dish.
Sprinkle the panko crumbs on top. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until top is golden.
This isn't your standard gooey, cheesy mac & cheese. Most M&C recipes, including the "best-ever" dish in the LA Times, requires you to make a roux, the base for a white cheesy sauce that is then poured over the pasta before baked in the oven. I tend not to like this type of M&C because there is only so much you can eat before the richness becomes overwhelming. My favorite M&C iteration is surprisingly at Max Brennar, most well known for their chocolate-based desserts and candies. Their version is more dry, with chopped tomatoes and bread crumbs on top. I loved the chopped tomatoes - the acidity really helps cut through the richness of the dish, adding a nice tangy finish.
I am happy to report that while this recipe I found on allrecipes.com is not quite the same as the Max Brennar version, it still produces a drier mac and cheese with tang from the addition of both sour cream and cottage cheese. I never eat cottage cheese by itself but I have to admit, it's a MUST in this recipe. I made a quick bruschetta topping with fresh tomatoes and basil to layer on top before baking. This has become my go-to recipe and depending on who we are serving, we've added crumbled bacon/bacon fat, truffle salt, even sautéed kale for some variety.
My Favorite Mac & Cheese
adapted from allrecipes.com
Ingredients
1 (8 ounce) package elbow macaroni
1 (8 ounce) package shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 (12 ounce) container fat-free small curd cottage cheese
1 (8 ounce) container fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 roma tomatoes, diced
5 fresh basil leaves, chopped
Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
Directions
Prepare the bruschetta mixture by mixing together the chopped tomatoes and basil with a drizzle of balsamic and olive oil. Set aside to allow the flavors to meld together. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, add pasta, and cook until done; drain.
In 9x13 inch baking dish, stir together macaroni, shredded Cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Spread the bruschetta across the top of the dish.
Sprinkle the panko crumbs on top. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until top is golden.
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