OVER-THE-RAINBOW MACARONI AND CHEESE
By Patti LaBelle
Serves 4-6
1 lb. elbow macaroni
8 TB, plus 1 TB butter
½ cup shredded Muenster cheese
½ cup shredded mild Cheddar cheese
½ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup Velveeta, cut into small cubes
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
¼ tsp seasoned salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly butter a deep 2 ½ quart casserole.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. When boiling, add the macaroni and cook until just tender, about 7 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain well, return to the cooking pot.
In a small saucepan, melt 8 TB of butter. Stir into the macaroni. In a large bowl, mix the first four cheeses. To the macaroni, add the half-and-half, 1 ½ cups of the shredded cheeses, the Velveeta and the eggs. Season with the salt and pepper. Transfer to the casserole. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup of shredded cheese and the remaining dot of TB of butter.
Bake until its bubbling around the edges, about 35 minutes. Serve hot.
If you dont want to use all five cheeses, you can get away with just the Velveeta and sharp Cheddar.
*I haven't personally tried this recipe yet, but it is on my "must try" list! I would probably add some toasted breadcrumbs to the top