Better than that crap made with Velveta...
Here...cook this recipe I made up myself based on several I found on the Internet and cooked for the second time last night.
I call it "Adult Mac & Cheese", and you'll need:
1 lb spiral rotini pasta...
1/2 medium head of cauliflower, cut into florets
For the béchamel sauce:
1/4 stick of butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 cups half & half
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 water
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup crumbled stinky blue cheese
Panko Bread Crumbs
Now as to putting it all together:
Steam your cauliflower until tender.
Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil, add your pasta, and cook until it's al dente.
Meanwhile, you make a light roux...
Melt the butter in a large deep heavy bottom skillet on medium heat.
Stir in the flour a little at a time and stir continuously
for 3 to 5 minutes.
Slowly add your half&half, heavy cream, and water stirring continuously until it thickens slightly.
Now reduce the heat to low and add first the cheddar, then the blue Cheese a little at a time allowing it to melt evenly.
Cook and stir until well blended.
Evenly spread the steamed cauliflower on the bottom of a greased 9"x13" casserole dish.
Add your drained pasta to the sauce and turn to evenly coat, then evenly spread the mixture over the cauliflower and sprinkle a nice even coat of bread crumbs over the top of everything.
Toss in all in a 350 degree F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, finishing under the broiler for a couple minutes to brown.
Now pull that smoldering dish of goodness out and sit it aside to cool, waiting long enough to not burn your tongue and the skin off of the roof of your mouth...
...put generous portions on a plate ....
AND EAT!!!
Regards y'all
The Redneck Gourmet
