Recipes That Rock -- Akari Hoshi’s Special Macaroni and Cheese

I know that the main point of the Saucy Skillet is to branch out culinarily and try new things, but to be honest, I've got some stand by favorites that I want to share with you too. So every once and awhile, I will share with you a recipe that rocks.

The first edition of Recipes That Rock features my special mac and cheese. This is where I got the recipe for the cheese sauce for the tuna noodle casserole. This is an especially creamy mac and cheese with a couple extra additions. I hope you enjoy!

Also, I've created a new email account for The Saucy Skillet. If you've got a favorite recipe you would like featured here on The Saucy Skillet, send it to thesaucyskillet@gmail.com.

Samantha Graham’s Special Macaroni and Cheese

•    4 Tbs. butter
•    4 Tbs. flour
•    2 cups milk (do not use skim)
•    ½ block of Velveeta
•    1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
•    1cup shredded Colby Jack cheese
•    1cup shredded Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese
•    16 oz of elbow macaroni (or pasta of your choice*)
•    1 Kielbasa or Polish Sausage (Fully Cooked) cut into rounds**
•    8oz fresh sliced mushrooms**
•    1-2 Red or Orange Peppers sliced and cut into ½ inch pieces**
•    1 small white or sweet onion, chopped**
•    Mrs. Dash Onion & Herb Seasoning**

Basic Macaroni Directions

1.    Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
2.    Follow cooking directions on the package of pasta to make noodles.
3.    Cut block of Velveeta into cubes.
4.    Meanwhile, melt the butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Once melted, stir in flour until a golden        paste forms. Let that cook for about a minute or two.
5.    Gradually whisk in milk. Whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Be very careful. This can go from awesome to scorched in a very short amount of time.
6.    Once the mixture has thickened, add in Velveeta. Stir vigorously until smooth. Add in the other cheeses, reserving a small portion of each.
7.    Drain pasta and return to the pot.
8.    Pour cheese sauce over noodles and stir to combine.
9.    Dump into the baking dish, spreading the mixture evenly into all four corners. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
10.    Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.

Special Macaroni Directions

1.    Brown kielbasa in skillet with the veggies. Cook until veggies are crisp-tender Sprinkle with Mrs. Dash. Transfer to a heat safe bowl.
2.    Follow steps 1-8 from the basic recipe.
3.    Stir in sausage mixture.
4.    Follow the remaining steps of basic recipe.

*I love making this with Farfalle (bow tie) or orrichette (little cups)
**These ingredients are for the Special Macaroni recipe. If you are just making the basic, omit these ingredients.