Buffalo Bleu Mac n Cheese
This twist on mac n cheese bakes in layers of buffalo sauce and just the right amount of bleu cheese for a burst of flavor in every bite!
Equipment
- Whisk Recommended
- Normal Kitchen Utensils
Ingredients
- 1 Lb Elbow Macaroni
- 1 Stick Butter Plus More for Greasing
- 1/2 C All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Quart Half n Half
- 3 C Grated Cheddar Cheese Or Colby Jack, About 12 Oz.
- 3 C Grated Monterrey Jack Cheese Or Colby Jack, About 12 Oz.
- 1 C Bleu Cheese Dressing
- 1/2 C Buffalo Sauce
- 4 Ounces Bleu Cheese Crumbled
- 2 Ribs Celery Finely Diced, About 1/2 C
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Paprika
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boiling for the pasta and grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.1 Stick Butter
- While the water boils, dice the celery and grate the cheese. Mix all the cheese together, with the exception of the bleu cheese.3 C Grated Cheddar Cheese, 3 C Grated Monterrey Jack Cheese, 2 Ribs Celery
- When the water is boiling, add 1-2 Tbsp. of salt along with the pasta. Cook to al dente per the package directions.Salt and Pepper to Taste, 1 Lb Elbow Macaroni
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- As the pasta cooks, melt the butter in another pot over medium heat. Add the celery and cook 1 minute.
- Add the flour, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika and a heavy pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk constantly, to break up any clumps of flour, and cook 1-2 minutes until the flour begins to give off a nutty aroma.1/2 C All-Purpose Flour, 1 tsp Garlic Powder, 1 tsp Onion Powder, 1 tsp Paprika
- While still whisking, add in about 1/2 C of the half n half. It should thicken almost immediately into what looks like wet sand. Once the added half n half is completely mixed in, add another 1/2 C. Continue mixing and adding until all the half n half is mixed in and a smooth sauce is formed.1 Quart Half n Half
- Take 1/3 of the grated cheeses and whisk it into the sauce one handful at a time. Be sure the current handful of cheese is fully combined with the sauce before adding the next handful.
- Once the cheese is mixed into the sauce, taste for salt and pepper and cut the heat.
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and mix it in with the sauce. Loosely fold in a second 1/3 of the grated cheese and scoop half of the pasta into the baking dish.
- Top this half of the pasta with half the bleu cheese, bleu cheese dressing and buffalo sauce.1 C Bleu Cheese Dressing, 1/2 C Buffalo Sauce, 4 Ounces Bleu Cheese
- Scoop the second half of pasta over the first layer and top with the remaining bleu cheese, bleu cheese dressing, hot sauce and grated cheese.
- Baked at 350 for 30 minutes until everything is heated through and the top layer of cheese and golden and bubbly.
- Let the pasta rest for 10 minutes before serving.