Macaroni & Cheese Recipes

Ingredients

8 tablespoons Tillamook ® Unsalted Butter, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder, divided
3 cups (about 1/2 loaf) good white crusty bread, cut into ¼ inch cubes
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Tillamook ® Vintage White Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, divided
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Tillamook ® Swiss Cheese, divided
1 1/4 cups shredded Romano cheese, divided
1 pound dry rigatoni pasta
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups half-and-half
2 cups whole milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Tillamook ® Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Preparation

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a 9 x 13 inch shallow baking dish.

To make topping, melt 4 tablespoons butter with 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. In a medium bowl, toss butter together with bread cubes and set aside. In a separate small bowl, combine 1 cup Vintage White, 1/2 cup Swiss and 1/4 cup Romano cheeses. Reserve for topping.

In a large pot, bring 6 quarts of water to a boil. Add 1½ tablespoons of salt and pasta. Cook, according to package directions, stirring occasionally. Pasta is done when it is slightly chewy to the bite or al dente. Drain in a colander and set aside.

Prepare sauce while pasta is cooking. In a large saucepan, over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in flour and cook 3 minutes, whisking constantly. Gradually add half-and-half and milk and bring just to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking often, until sauce slightly thickens, 4-5 minutes. Stir in remaining garlic powder, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and nutmeg. Add remaining Vintage White, Swiss, Romano and sharp cheeses. Stir until cheese is melted. Remove pan from heat. Fold pasta into cheese sauce.

Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with reserved cheese. Top with bread cube mixture. Bake 25-30 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and top begins to brown. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Garnish with chopped parsley.