Holiday Special Mac and Cheese

Ingredients 

• 1 package of elbow pasta 
• 2 small bell peppers (red, green) 
• 1 Andouille sausage 
• 1 small onion 
• 2 garlic cloves 
• 1 stick of butter (not salty) 
• 6 tbsp of all-purpose flour 
• 4 cups whole milk 
• A dash of nutmeg
• 2 cups cheddar cheese (shredded) 
• 1 cup of Jack cheese (shredded) 
• ½ cup of Parmesan cheese 
• 1 tsp of Yummy Seafood Seasoning 
• 1 tbsp of Yummy Blackening Seasoning

Preparation 

• For this recipe, we will cook everything first. Then bake the mac & cheese to get all the flavors together and get the cheese to melt. 
• Start by preheating the oven at 375F 

For the pasta

• Boil water to pre-cook the pasta. Pour the contents of the elbow pasta and cook for about 6-8 minutes. Drain and let it sit while we finish cooking. 

For the veggies

• Chop all the veggies and sausage before you start cooking to make it quicker. 
• In a hot pan, pour about 2 tbsp of oil and cook the chopped onion with the sliced sausage, and chopped bell peppers for about 5-7 minutes to tender the veggies. Sprinkle about 1 tbsp of Yummy Blackening Seasoning and 1 tsp of Yummy Seafood Seasoning . The combination of both seasonings will bring out the New Orleans holiday spirits and flavors.
• For a final touch add the minced garlic, stir constantly to prevent the garlic from burning, cook for another minute or two. Set aside. 

For the sauce

• Now, we cook the milky cream for the Mac & Cheese. You can use the same pan, just make sure to clean it first. 
• To make it super creamy, it requires you to stir constantly and evenly while mixing the flour and milk. 
• Start by melting the stick of butter completely. Add 1 tbsp of flour at a time and pour the milk in a string, slowly and whisk. Repeat until you have whisked the 6 tbsp of flour and the 4 cups of milk. The whole process can take about 20-25 minutes, but it will be worth it! 
• Once you are done, sprinkle a little of nutmeg, about the tip of a teaspoon. 

Final preparation and baking

• Now let’s marry the flavors!  
• In an oven safe bowl, place the previously cooked pasta, mix in with the veggies, the creamy sauce and place the cheddar and Jack cheese all over. 
• Top it with a layer of Parmesan cheese. 
• Bake at 375F for about 20-25 minutes until you see the top layer has a golden brown crust. 

Serving

• This is a complete dish by itself. Just make sure to make enough because everyone will be asking for seconds. 
• This and all Yummy recipes are best enjoyed when shared with friends and family.

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