Pepperjack Macaroni & Cheese
Homemade mac and cheese loaded with pepper jack cheese, jalapenos, and buttery breadcrumbs!
I’m a very picky macaroni and cheese eater. I am almost exclusively a blue box mac and cheese fan. I don’t really love homemade mac and cheese, but I’ll eat it occasionally. I decided that there was no way this recipe could be bad and I even did breadcrumbs on top which normally I hate on mac and cheese. I think the difference is that these were toasted so they weren’t super dry and stale tasting on top. Plus they were Italian breadcrumbs so they added some flavor as well. This was a great side with fried chicken. I really liked that it was spicy too. All in all definitely a keeper!
What You Need:
1/2 lb large shape pasta
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. flour
2 cups milk
1 lb. pepper jack cheese, shredded (reserve around 1/2 cup for topping)
1 to 2 jalapenos, thinly sliced (with seeds and ribs)
Salt and pepper to taste
For the Topping:
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 to 1 Tbsp. butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a large pan and then add flour. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
Add milk and whisk until well combined. Continue to cook, stirring often, until mixture thickens.
Remove from heat and add cheese, a handful at a time, while stirring, until all the cheese has been incorporated (except the reserved cheese) and sauce is smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, for the topping: melt a little butter in a small skillet and add bread crumbs. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper (I just used Italian breadcrumbs and omitted any additional seasoning).
Stir together cooked pasta and sauce with sliced jalapenos. Transfer to a baking dish and top with reserved cheese and breadcrumbs.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until browned and bubbling.
Recipe from The View from the Great Island
