Decadent Macaroni and Cheese
The Best Mac and Cheese You’ll Ever Have
This decadent macaroni and cheese is the stuff dreams are made of. Made with sharp cheddar, creamy Velveeta, butter, herbs and curly pasta to hold every bite of cheesiness. I make this recipe using a classic custard with butter and cream. This gets all melted together in the oven for a lavish and delicious dinner.
I recently. had a follower send me a not so nice message saying my recipes will send people to an early grave. While that is not at all true, this recipe may be worth it if it did. The full, printable and pinterest(able) recipe is below. Feel free to skip to it, but I have some advice to share in the next few, and short paragraphs.
Why Honey Yogurt?
You will notice the recipe calls for Greek Honey Yogurt. Use this as the yogurt adds some tang to the recipe. This is needed with all this dairy delightfulness, but the honey acts as a buffer to the super sharp cheddar cheese. This adds the perfect balance of flavors to this macaroni and cheese. This also helps the pasta from drying out.
Cut The Butter and The Velveeta
Cutting up the butter and the velveeta adds little pockets of creamy cheesiness to almost every bite. This makes for a rich, creamy and delicious macaroni and cheese. The great news is, velveeta makes a teeny tiny brick of cheese. Using the smaller brick of cheese. This helps not to be left with extra you do not need.
Custard
You do not officially make a custard for this recipe. Use the warm pot the pasta was boiled in to make a pseudo custard. Without getting into much science chatter, the addition of the warm milk and eggs is what helps this whole dish come together. You will notice the difference.
Decadent Macaroni and Cheese
This decadent macaroni and cheese is the stuff dreams are made of. Made with sharp cheddar, creamy Velveeta, butter, herbs and curly pasta to hold every bite of cheesiness. This recipe is made using a classic custard with butter and cream all melted together in the oven for a lavish and delicious dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 16 ounce box of rotini pasta
- 1/4 cup of whole milk
- 1/4 cup of heavy cream
- 1 12 ounce can of evaporated milk
- 2 eggs (whisked lightly)
- 1 stick of butter (cut into small pieces)
- 1 tablespoon of greek yogurt with honey
- 1/2 pound of velveeta (cut into small cubes)
- 1 16 ounce brick of sharp or very sharp cheddar cheese (then grate yourself)
- salt
- pepper
- 1 teaspoon of white sugar
- chili powder
- cayenne pepper
- dry mustard
- dried dill
- dried parsley
- onion powder
- garlic powder
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Boil your pasta and add a couple of pinches of salt while it boils. Do not overcook this, you want it slightly, slightly under cooked, so some bite to it, just not quite al dente. Drain but keep the pot on the warm stove.
- Add the cooked pasta to a 9 x 13 baking dish, I used a glass one
- In the warm pasta pot, don't turn on the heat, add your milk, cream, evaporated milk a pinch of salt like 1/4 teaspoon, as much black pepper as you like, 1/2 teaspoon of the dry mustard, dill and parsley, about `1/4 teaspoon of the chili powder and cayenne and as much garlic and onion powder. You can use more or less of these seasonings, adjust to your preference. Then add the white sugar,. Whisk all this until combined. Then add eggs and whisk again. Again, do this in the warm pot on the warm stove but don't turn the heat on. Pour this over the pasta and stir until well combined.
- Cut up your butter and velveeta into small cubes and mix into the pasta. Then add your greek yogurt, mix well.
- Begin stirring in your shredded cheese. It is important you shred your own cheese for this as it melts better. Add almost all of the cheese and mix well, then top the whole pan with the rest of the cheese.
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes minutes until watm and bubbly. All ovens are different so this could cook faster or slower. You will know it is done when the top is golden brown and the whole thing is melty and bubbly. You may have to check it a few times the first time you make it to know how long it takes in your oven.
- Pull it from the oven and let it rest 15 minutes before scooping into it. If you scoop it before it will be slightly watery until everything settles down.
- If you like you can also toast panko crumbs in butter and top this with that before serving.
Another Great Recipe
If you like this macaroni and cheese recipe, try making my Pickle Pot Roast for a great pairing with the mac and cheese!
