Spicy & Smoky Macaroni and Cheese

Behold REAL macaroni and cheese. Not the stuff that comes from a box with powdered cheese, although I do enjoy that sometimes. This is a basic ratio of my mother's macaroni and cheese but I mixed in my own cheese to make it spicy for my husbands birthday. He wanted macaroni and cheese and blueberry cheesecake for his birthday so that is what he got. I went out to the commissary (military grocery store) and started looking through their cheese selection. I found fontina cheese that I thought would go good with the cheeses that I had at home. I know that it is a lot of different cheeses but I wanted to use up what I had. The apple wood smoked gruyere really set it apart from the typical taste of macaroni and cheese because it gave it this smokey flavor, it almost tasted like there was smoked ham in the macaroni. The habanero of course added some heat but not too much to where you couldn't eat it, just enough to make you notice that there was a kick.

• 2 Tbsp. margarine/butter
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 1 1/2 c. skim milk
  
• 2 c. extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 c. fontina cheese, shredded
• 1/2 c. Irish gouda
• 1/2 c. apple wood smoked gruyere
  
• 1/2 c. Cabot habanero cheddar cheese, shredded (topping)
  
• 1 lb macaroni

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add macaroni and cook a few minuted less than the recommended time on the package. Drain and set aside.
   
3. Meanwhile, in a medium sized pot melt butter over medium heat then pour in the flour mix well to combine. Cook for about a minute or two to make a rue.
4. Add milk to the rue and stir until there are no lumps. When the milk comes to a simmer add half of the cheese and stir until creamy but leave the habanero cheese for the top.
   
5. When the macaroni is done add it to the cheese mixture and stir until all the macaroni is covered in the cheese mixture.
6. Spray 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray. Pour in the macaroni and top with the other half of cheese and the habanero cheese.
   
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbling. If you want a crunchy crust on top. Put the macaroni and cheese until the broiler on low for 5 minutes, make sure it doesn't burn.

This post is submitted in:
Just Another Meatless Monday
My Meatless Monday
Just Something I Whipped Up Monday
Tasty Tuesday
Tuesdays at the Table
Tempt my Tummy Tuesdays
Real Food Tuesday