Slowly add milk, and then half and half, whisking them into the flour mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. For me, mac and cheese has to have a smooth and creamy cheese sauce, and I’ve had enough trial and error in this department to understand that there are a few simple things you can do to achieve that smooth sauce we all want in our macaroni! To assemble: Pour sauce over cooked macaroni and stir gently to combine. Sprinkle with bread crumbs mixture. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or untilbubbly. Make the roux. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Blend in the flour, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes. I don’t think they would let me in if I didn’t bring my famous Pecan Pie, but this year I’m also going to upgrade one of my favorite holiday dishes and bring a batch of this Green Chile Macaroni and Cheese made with hot green chiles and Tillamook Cheese.

Use fresh grated cheese. Pre-shredded store-bought cheese will not melt the same as freshly grated cheese, and grating the cheese helps it melt smoothly and evenly in the sauce. Green Chile Macaroni and Cheese takes classic mac and cheese to the next level with just a hint of heat and a boost of flavor! My kids love this dish made with hot green chiles but you can certainly swap them out for mild if you prefer.Thank you Tillamook for sponsoring this post. Visit your local Target to buy Tillamook Cheeses today! In a large pot, boil your elbows for the cook time on the box minus 1 minute for extra al-dente pasta. Drain. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and toss to coat. This Green Chile Macaroni and Cheese also gets topped with bread crumbs (and more cheese) and baked in the oven for a delicious crunchy topping. It’s an extra step that I don’t always do when making mac and cheese, but it’s so worth it for this recipe. I prefer green chiles from New Mexico for their flavor, but any kind will do. You can buy fresh chiles in season, but I use canned chiles all year long. Hatch chiles offer an ideal balance of heat and sweetness and vary in intensity, so don’t automatically assume that this dish will be too spicy. This mac and cheese recipe has many similarities to another of my favorites; One Pan Baked Ziti. They are both creamy, and dreamy, comfort food that gets baked to cheesy, bubbly perfection in the oven. Mac and Cheese

You don’t have to bake the mac and cheese in this recipe. Everything gets fully cooked and is essentially ready to eat after the cheese and noodles are added. However, I love the extra gooeyness that comes when the cheese is baked and I think baking it adds a level of sophistication you just don’t get without. Whisk for about 6-12 minutes over medium heat (depending on how cold your ingredients were when you started) until it passes the wooden spoon test. Stir constantly! The shredded cheese goes into the roux by the handful (again, don’t add it all at once), whisking after each addition. From there the decadent cheese sauce gets mixed with the noodles and green chiles.

For the best results, I suggest manually grating all of your cheeses if possible. Pre-grated or shredded cheese often contain an anti-caking agent, which might cause the cheese to separate from the other components in your macaroni and result in a less creamy result. I’m pretty sure that most adults love a great homemade macaroni and cheese recipe just as much as our kids do! My kids will enjoy a box of Kraft macaroni and day, but everyone gets especially excited when I make this homemade mac and cheese, and for good reason! This classic mac and cheese recipe is made with cheddar cheese. I particularly love medium or sharp cheddar cheese but any type will do. If you want a more luxurious mac and cheese or you’re really trying to impress a crowd, you could use a combination of different cheeses. Just be sure to select a type of cheese that is good for melting, like white cheddar, smoked gouda, gruyere, brie, goat cheese, mozzarella, or fontina. Freezing and Storing: