For Peeps at Fusion - Baked Mac & Cheese

Here's where I got the basic framework recipe:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/the-best-of/chef-joes-baked-macaroni-and-cheese-recipe/index.html

Recipe and My Modifications below:

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 2 cups elbow macaroni
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2-1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the macaroni and cook, stirring occasionally until it is almost tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the milk, 1/4 cup melted butter, the cayenne pepper, and a teaspoon of salt.

Put half the macaroni into a buttered 2-quart casserole and top with half the cheddar cheese. Repeat. Pour the milk mixture over the macaroni and cheese.

In a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs with the paprika, the remaining butter, and the Parmesan. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the macaroni and bake until brown and bubbly, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm.

My modifications to the recipe (I never 100% follow a recipe when I cook):

1. Used Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning instead of the cayenne pepper and the paprika.

2. Used regular Trader Joes' non-BSG skim milk instead of the evaporated milk. It may have been richer with the evap but I'm not sure if anyone could tell the difference.

3. Added about 1/2 container of crumbled gorganzola cheese to the milk/egg/cayenne mixture for the sharp taste. Used colby/jack cheese instead of cheddar.

4. Used spiral pasta instead of macaroni. You can really use any kind of pasta you want.

Feel free to comment.

Cheers!