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Featured Wisconsin Cheeses: Petit Frère

By Kath Eats

In this easy-to-assemble recipe, creamy Wisconsin Cheese melts with caramelized mushrooms, nutritious greens and whole wheat pasta for a modern twist on mac ‘n cheese. Served in a martini glass, beer pint glass or as a half portion in a shot glass, these parfaits make a fun appetizer at a dinner party or a pretty hors d’oeuvre.

If casseroles are more your thing, this recipe easily morphs into a lovely baked macaroni casserole! While this recipe features lots of nutritious foods – mushrooms, spinach, walnuts and whole wheat pasta, it isn’t exactly a light recipe.  But, that’s ok because the flavor is strong so a smaller serving is super satisfying.

I used the Crave Brothers Petit Frère for this recipe, and the Brie flavor was fabulous, especially when combined with a touch of sherry. The cheese sauce reminded me of fondue! I trimmed off the rind.

And gave it a nice chop – don’t forget to taste it!

Meanwhile my pasta was cooking in nicely salted boiling water. I used whole wheat for extra nutrients!

I used shitake mushrooms, but you could use any kind you like. And I definitely think mushrooms go best with butter – heat your tablespoon in a large skillet before adding those shrooms. Let the mushrooms do their thing – they might get a little watery, but just be patient. They’ll start to caramelize soon enough.

When the mushrooms are done, sauté your spinach in a little olive oil and garlic. Don’t forget to toast your walnuts! Use a dry skillet and let your nose tell you when they are done. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn!

For the sauce, we had skim milk on hand so that’s what I used, but you could use any kind of milk you like. The nutmeg is optional, but it adds a bit of depth to the flavors. The best part – melting in the cheese!

Pour on the sauce and mix well.

And then it’s time for assembly. I liked the look of a martini glass, but you could use anything you want for the parfaits.

Easy Brie-zy Mac ’n Cheese Parfaits
Makes 10 parfaits

Ingredients:
1 pound whole wheat rotini
2 8-ounce rounds Wisconsin Petit Frère
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups shitake mushrooms, washed and chopped into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cups baby spinach
2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups skim milk
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Pinch nutmeg
Black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon cooking sherry (optional)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted in a dry skillet

Directions:
Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente, according to package directions. Drain and set aside in a large mixing bowl. Prepare your cheese by trimming off the rinds and chopping into small pieces. Add 1 tablespoon butter to a large skillet and sauté mushrooms over medium high heat until they begin to brown. Remove from skillet, add olive oil and sauté spinach and garlic until garlic is fragrant and spinach is wilted.

To make cheese sauce, add milk and flour to a small pot and stir over medium heat until milk slightly thickens. Add salt and nutmeg and stir in sherry, if using. Remove thickened milk from heat and stir in cheese until thick and melted. Pour sauce over pasta and toss to coat.

To assemble parfaits, put some pasta in the bottom of a martini glass (or a stemless wine glass, shot glass or kid-friendly glass). Top with greens, then mushrooms and finally garnish with toasted walnuts. Serve warm or at room temperature at a cocktail party or as a fun way for kids to enjoy mac and cheese. You may have leftover pasta to have for lunch the next day.

Casserole Version
Serves 8

If you’re the casserole type, skip the martini glass and mix the cheese sauce and pasta with the veggies and walnuts in a big bowl. Pour into a 2.75 quart casserole dish and top with 1 cup bread crumbs of your choice. Bake at 350°F for 20-30 minutes, until bread crumbs are brown. Tick tock, tick tock.

Serve with a bright green salad – and dive in!

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