macaroni and cheese...My Favorite!

Hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving! Mine was pretty great. I spent the day with my best friend, Sam, her sister and mother.

This mac and cheese was the dish I brought and it's my favorite!

The recipe is actually from Dino BBQ, a barbecue restaurant in New York. It isn't your traditional mac and cheese with an egg and milk--instead, it asks for onions, green peppers and garlic as a base and then an additional 4 types of cheeses. Yum!

This recipe is incredibly easy to make and whenever I bring it to an event, it is a hit! Hope you enjoy! :)


Macaroni and Cheese from Dino BBQ (I halve this recipe)
1⁄2 cup vegetable oil
1 1⁄2 cup onion, diced
3⁄4 cup green pepper, diced
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
4 ounces flour
3 cups water
3 cups half-and-half
14 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
5 ounces Colby cheese, grated
10 ounces American cheese, grated
4 ounces Pecorino Romano, grated
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons lemon pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons French’s mustard (i used dijon and that worked fine)
2 teaspoons white vinegar (i used white wine vinegar and that worked fine)
1 & 1⁄2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 pound elbow macaroni (you can make more to make this recipe less rich)

Topping:
8 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons Pecorino Romano cheese

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large pot. Add onions and peppers; cook until they are translucent. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Stir in flour.

2. Add water and half-and-half. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Using an immersion blender, puree this mixture until it is smooth (I ALWAYS USE A REGULAR BLENDER)

3. Slowly add cheeses to warm pureed mixture, making sure all cheese is melted before adding more. Once cheese is completely melted, add salt, lemon pepper, sugar, mustard, vinegar and Tabasco. Stir to combine.

4. Cook 1 pound of dried elbow macaroni in boiling water. Cook until al dente, not completely soft.

5. Combine hot, cooked pasta and sauce in large mixing bowl; stir well to combine. Pour entire mixture into a greased 10-inch-by-12-inch pan (or a 9-inch-by-13-inch one). Top with 8 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese and 2 tablespoons of Pecorino Romano cheese.

4. Place under broiler until top is golden brown and bubbling.