Cheese

One of the reasons why I love my job is the customers that I get to talk to.  We share ideas, stories and often recipes. One of the customers that I have gotten to know loves to cook and often chooses Double Gloucester or Huntsman.

Last month he asked for several different cheeses in small quantities.  We got to talking and I learned that he was going to make some Mac and Cheese. He told me that he got the recipe for the Food Network, it had been the winner of a cook-off.  The recipe is called Delilah’s 7 Cheese Mac and Cheese, courtesy of Delilah Winder.

This last weekend my husband and I went camping with friends and I made this mac and cheese.  It almost filled my Nesco!  It was creamy and amazing….comfort food extraordinaire.   The only change that I made was using mascarpone (8oz) in place of the… (dare I say it…..velveeta) the mascarpone brought the smoothness to the mixture, I believe that cream cheese would also work just fine.

Delilah’s 7 Cheese Mac and Cheese

Recipe courtesy Delilah Winder

• 2lb Elbow Macaroni
• 12 eggs (I used large)
• 1 cup velveeta….again I used Mascarpone
• ½ lb (2 sticks) butter, melted
• 6 cups half-and-half, divided
• 4 cups grated sharp yellow Cheddar, divided
• 2 cups grated extra sharp white Cheddar
• 1 ½ cups grated mozzarella
• 1 cup grated Asiago
• 1 cup shredded Gruyere
• 1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack
• 1 cup shredded Muenster
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon Pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Cook macaroni to al dente, about 10 min.  Drain and set aside to keep warm.

Whisk eggs in a large bowl until frothy.

Add the velveeta (or mascarpone), butter and 2 cup of half-and-half to the large bowl of eggs.  Add warm macaroni tossing until the cheese has melted and the mixture is smooth.  Ad the remaining half-and-half, 3 cups of the sharp yellow cheddar, and the remaining cheeses, salt and pepper, tossing until completely combined in the large bowl.

Pour the mixture into 9×13 casserole or baking dish and bake 30 minutes.  Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of sharp yellow cheese and bake until golden brown on top, about 30 minutes more.