Meatless Monday: Smoky Baked Macaroni & Cheese

Macaroni and Cheese is one of those dishes that brings out the best or the worst in people. To Kraft or not to Kraft? Baked or Stove top? So many sides to this cheesy coin. Full, drawn-out wars could be fought over it. Okay, maybe not wars, but Mac & Cheese is a staple dish in my home. I make it often. In my family, I’m known for my baked mac & cheese. It’s hand delivered to every holiday gathering and usually made by the TON. Last Thanksgiving, I made 5 pounds. Yes, 5 pounds of ooey, gooey, butter baked mac and cheese.

Recently, Mr. Foodlovetog decided to get in the kitchen and try his take on my classic recipe out of the blue. When I tell you I feel like my crown has been threatened… This man’s mac and cheese was perfection! After dinner, we swapped recipes and came up with something fantastic. There’s even a shocker of an ingredient: BBQ sauce, yep! As fate would have it, the woman with condiment issues marries the condiment king. Whenever I make Mac and Cheese, Mr. Foodlovetog puts bbq sauce in it… It’s his favorite way to eat it. Sounds crazy, but when added to the cheese sauce, it kicks the dish up at notch! Grab the recipe below, you’ll be glad you did! 

Smoky Baked Macaroni & Cheese

Cook Time

35 min

Total Time

43 min

Ingredients

1. 3 Cups Elbow Macaroni Pasta
2. 4 & 1/2 Cups Shredded Cheese ( 1 cup each Monterrey Jack, Queso, Sharp Cheddar, Mild Cheddar)
3. 5 Tablespoons Butter, diced
4. 4 Tablespoons Flour
5. 1/4 Cup Sour Cream
6. 3 Cups Half & Half (warmed)
7. 2 Tablespoons of Hickory Smoked BBQ Sauce
8. Black Pepper (several cracks)
9. Salt (pinch)
10. Paprika (heavy pinch)

Instructions

1. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare an oven safe dish by coating in with 1 tablespoon of butter.
3. Boil Pasta for 8 minutes, drain and set aside.
4. In a heavy bottomed pot, melt 4 Tablespoons of butter.
5. Stir in flour, pinch of salt and black pepper stir well to combine.
6. Cook flour and butter mixture until golden blonde in color.
7. Whisk in warmed half and half.
8. Continually stirring, add Shredded cheese 1/2 cup at a time, until well blended and the cheese has melted. Reserve 1/2 cup of cheese for garnish.
9. Turn off flame.
10. Stir in Paprika, Sour Cream and BBQ Sauce, stir to combine.
11. Add pasta to cheese sauce.
12. Mix well and pour into prepared oven safe dish.
13. Top with 1/2 cup of shredded cheese
14. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until golden and bubbly.
15. Serve and Enjoy!