Blue Cheese Macaroni & Cheese with Mushrooms and Kale
By Kath Eats
Macaroni and cheese is all about the CHEESE! One of my very favorite cheeses is Blue Cheese, so I decided to develop a recipe that has all the punch of a Wisconsin Blue with the added nutrition of whole wheat pasta, mushrooms and kale. Choose a wedge of high quality Blue Cheese and crumble it yourself for more flavor.
I chose a Buttermilk Blue Cheese made by Roth Käse USA in Monroe, Wisconsin. The raw milk cheese is hand-hooped and creamy as a marshmallow with your favorite Blue Cheese kick. This pasta is rich, so a little goes a long way.
Blue Cheese Macaroni & Cheese with Mushrooms and Kale
Serves 6
Ingredients:
4 cups (12 ounces) whole wheat penne pasta
2 pints mushrooms, preferably cremini, but any kind will do
8 cups kale, trimmed, torn into bite-size pieces and washed
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup nonfat or low-fat milk
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1 cup (4 ounces) Wisconsin Sharp White Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1 cup (about 5 ounces) Wisconsin Blue Cheese
Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat, add pasta and cook per package directions. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
Meanwhile, lightly grease a medium skillet with cooking spray (or olive oil or butter), add mushrooms and cook over medium heat until brown. Set aside.
In a stock pot over medium-high heat, steam kale with 1/3 cup water with the lid on until it turns bright green.
In a small saucepan, whisk together the flour and milk, cook over medium heat until warm, stirring constantly. Add the garlic powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper and Cheddar, stirring until cheese melts and is thoroughly combined. Pour cheese sauce over cooked pasta.
Add in cooked mushrooms and kale, toss to combine. Crumble the Blue Cheese over the top, using your hands.
Divide among individual bowls and enjoy!
Labels: Blue, Cheddar, Macaroni & Cheese, Recipe, Wisconsin Cheese
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