Macaroni and Cheese with Andouille

Happy December! It is officially the season for warm, comforting foods, and what's more comforting than macaroni and cheese? Growing up, Andy loved Kraft Mac 'n' Cheese with slices of Red Hot hot dogs mixed in. This recipe is a grown up version of that dish that he so fondly remembers. In place of the hot dog, we used Andouille sausage which is a Cajun smoked spicy pork sausage that reminds me of a hotter version of kielbasa. Instead of Kraft, the base is a homemade, creamy cheese sauce with a hint of mustard to complement the sausage. The two are combined together and topped with fresh breadcrumbs, then baked until bubbly and delicious! Enjoy :o)

Serves 6 people

Ingredients

3/4 lb. dried pasta such as elbows, campanelle, or cavatappi

2 tsbp. vegetable oil

2 links Andouille sausage, sliced into 1/8 inch disks

5 tbsp. butter, divided

3 tbsp. flour

2 1/2 cups half and half (milk or cream could also work)

1 tbsp. spicy brown mustard

1-2 tsp. Frank's hot sauce

5 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

5 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

4 oz. Mascarpone cheese
salt and pepper

fresh breadcrumbs*

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente (it will finish cooking in the oven). Drain, and set aside in a large mixing bowl.

In the meantime, make the sauce. In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the Andouille sausage in a single layer and cook until lightly browned on both sides. Remove from pan and drain sausage on paper towels, then add to the bowl with the pasta. Wipe some of the excess oil out of the pan, leaving any brown bits from the sausage. Turn heat to medium and add 3 tbsp. of the butter. Once melted, add the flour and whisk together. Cook for 30 seconds to get rid of the raw flour taste. Slowly whisk in the half and half and cook for 5-6 minutes until thickened slightly, stirring constantly to prevent the bottom from burning. Turn off the heat and add the cheddar, Monterey Jack, Mascarpone, mustard, and Frank's. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the sauce to the bowl and stir to combine. Pour mixture into a 9"x13" baking dish or into 6 ramekins for individual servings. Sprinkle over the breadcrumbs and drizzle with the remaining 2 tbsp. of butter, melted. Bake until the breadcrumbs have browned and the edges of the macaroni and cheese are bubbly, approximately 20 minutes. Serve immediately, and enjoy!

* to make fresh breadcrumbs, simply pulse a few pieces of stale bread in a food processor until they are the consistency of breadcrumbs. Leftover breadcrumbs can be stored in a resealable bag in the freezer.