Smoked Gouda Mac & Cheese

​Inspired by...cheese party leftovers

Cheese platter for party

A couple of weeks ago, I hosted a wine and cheese party.  I bought big blocks of cheese and made a nice cheese platter, along with a few other appetizers.  Even though lots of food (and wine!) was enjoyed,  I still ended up with some great left-overs.  I  made a yummy macaroni and cheese out of the extra cheddar and smoked gouda from the cheese platter.

I looked up a basic recipe for mac and cheese to make sure that I got that general measurements right.  The Pioneer Woman is one of my go-to resources for recipes.  And she didn't fail me this time!  I used her Macaroni & Cheese recipe as my guide and made a smoked gouda version.  I cut down on the dry mustard because I figured that the smoky flavor of the cheese would add a lot of flavor.  I also substituted cream cheese for the egg because I thought it would make it a little creamier while still helping to bind the drier cheeses.  It turned out creamy and very flavorful.  I will definitely be making this again!

Recipe

​Ingredients​*

• ​4 cups of dry pasta
  
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup half and half
  
• 2 ounces cream cheese
  
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 2 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar*
• 1 1/2 cups shredded smoked gouda*
• 1/2 teaspoon season salt
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  

It's better if you buy the cheeses in blocks and shred them yourself.  The bags of pre-shredded cheese don't melt as well in cheese sauces
Directions

1. ​Cook the pasta to al dente, according to your package's instructions.  Drain and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium low heat..
4. Add the flour and whisk it into the butter.  Cook over medium low heat for about 4-5 minutes, whisking constantly to prevent burning.
5. Add in the milk and dry mustard and whisk until blended. 
6. Cook for at least 5 minutes until the mixture is thick.
   
7. Add cream cheese and mix until melted. 
   
8. Add the shredded cheese and mix until the cheese has melted into the sauce.
9. Mix in the season salt, salt, and pepper.  Add more seasoning to taste if you would like (I liked the flavor as it was with these measurements).
10. Add the pasta and mix to coat the pasta in the cheese sauce.
11. You can eat this as is or bake as directed below.  I baked mine in servings size amounts in small ramekins each time I was ready to eat it. 
12. Pour mixture into a butter baking dish (about 9x13 inches for the whole recipe) and cover with more shredded gouda. 
13. Bake for 20-25 minutes until hot and bubbly.