Rachael's Italian Mac n Cheese, SO yummy!
Yesterday I was in the mood to try a homemade macaroni and cheese recipe so I search the 'net, scoured my cookbooks
and I found this in my Rachael Ray 30 minute meals Get Togethers cookbook. I made a few of my own adjustments which I put in pink. It was really good!
I think you should try it!
Rachael Ray's Italian Mac n Cheese
Ingredients:
1 pound ziti rigate, penne rigate or cavatappi (ribbed, hollow corkscrews) I used elbow macaroni.
1 pound Italian bulk sweet sausage
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 tablespoon butter
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
12 crimini mushrooms, sliced I used regular ole mushrooms
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
1 sack shredded Italian 4-cheese blend (10 ounces or 2 1/2 cups), available on dairy aisle I used a combo of yellow cheddar, white cheddar and fontina. I used quite a bit more...as I have a hubby who digs extra cheese
1 can diced tomatoes, drained well
1 teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco brand (optional)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, a couple of handfuls
Preparation
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt water and cook pasta to a chewy al dente, about eight minutes.
In a nonstick skillet, brown and crumble the sausage. Drain cooked crumbles on paper towel-lined plate. Return pan to heat and add EVOO, butter, garlic and mushrooms. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Sauté 3-5 minutes, until mushrooms are lightly golden.
Pre-heat broiler to high.
To mushrooms, add flour and stir, cooking two minutes. Whisk in stock, then stir in cream. Bring cream to a bubble, then stir in two cups of 4-cheese blend. When cheese has melted into sauce, add tomatoes. When sauce comes to a bubble, remove from heat and adjust seasonings, adding hot sauce if desired.
Combine cheese sauce with sausage and pasta, transfer to baking dish, casserole or ovensafe serving platter. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of 4-cheese blend and the grated parmesan over the top and brown under hot broiler. I ended up baking mine because I made it ahead and it took NO TIME to make this. It needed to be heated up so I baked it at 400 for 15 or 20 minutes uncovered.
I served smallish servings with a big green salad.
Anyhoo...Al and I have a hot date with the above pictured boys next week. Woot!!!! We will be standing at the doors of the Excel Energy Center most of the day to claim our spot in front of our band. sigh....I can't wait!
Rock on friends!
and I found this in my Rachael Ray 30 minute meals Get Togethers cookbook. I made a few of my own adjustments which I put in pink. It was really good!I think you should try it!
Rachael Ray's Italian Mac n Cheese
Ingredients:
1 pound ziti rigate, penne rigate or cavatappi (ribbed, hollow corkscrews) I used elbow macaroni.
1 pound Italian bulk sweet sausage
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 tablespoon butter
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
12 crimini mushrooms, sliced I used regular ole mushrooms
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
1 sack shredded Italian 4-cheese blend (10 ounces or 2 1/2 cups), available on dairy aisle I used a combo of yellow cheddar, white cheddar and fontina. I used quite a bit more...as I have a hubby who digs extra cheese
1 can diced tomatoes, drained well
1 teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco brand (optional)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, a couple of handfuls
Preparation
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt water and cook pasta to a chewy al dente, about eight minutes.
In a nonstick skillet, brown and crumble the sausage. Drain cooked crumbles on paper towel-lined plate. Return pan to heat and add EVOO, butter, garlic and mushrooms. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Sauté 3-5 minutes, until mushrooms are lightly golden.
Pre-heat broiler to high.
To mushrooms, add flour and stir, cooking two minutes. Whisk in stock, then stir in cream. Bring cream to a bubble, then stir in two cups of 4-cheese blend. When cheese has melted into sauce, add tomatoes. When sauce comes to a bubble, remove from heat and adjust seasonings, adding hot sauce if desired.
Combine cheese sauce with sausage and pasta, transfer to baking dish, casserole or ovensafe serving platter. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of 4-cheese blend and the grated parmesan over the top and brown under hot broiler. I ended up baking mine because I made it ahead and it took NO TIME to make this. It needed to be heated up so I baked it at 400 for 15 or 20 minutes uncovered.
I served smallish servings with a big green salad.
Anyhoo...Al and I have a hot date with the above pictured boys next week. Woot!!!! We will be standing at the doors of the Excel Energy Center most of the day to claim our spot in front of our band. sigh....I can't wait!
Rock on friends!
Sounds yummy, although, I'm not a big sausage fan, but maybe with some seasoned ground beef? Might have to give this one a try. I'm always on the lookout for a good recipe and I LOVE RR!
ReplyDeleteThis one looks really good (I guess they all do) and I'll have to try it out down here in Texas.
ReplyDeleteLv Mom
Hi Marisa! Fun blog...You look great. Can't believe you are 4-0. NO WAY! Carlos is adorable and you look and sound very happy...no small accomplishment is this life!
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Dani (Griffin) Serrano
P.S. I am trying to get a hold of your mom. Don't have a current email address for her. I'm daniserrano@comcast.net, if you get a chance to pass that on...Thanks!
ReplyDelete