Pimento Mac And Cheese With Chicken Sausage Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook according to package directions for al dente. Reserve 1 3/4 cups of the pasta cooking water and then drain the pasta; set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or saucepot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until lightly browned, breaking up the meat into small pieces, about 5 minutes. Transfer the browned meat to a plate with a slotted spoon. Add the bell pepper, onion and a pinch of salt to the drippings in the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes; transfer to the plate with the sausage.
• Carefully wipe out the pot, add the half-and-half and cayenne and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Add the cream cheese and stir until melted. Gradually whisk in the Cheddar and Gruyere, 1 handful at time, until all the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Remove from the heat.
• Add the cooked pasta and reserved pasta cooking water to the cheese sauce and stir to combine. Stir in the sausage and vegetables; adjust the seasoning with additional salt. Pour into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and bake until bubbly and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs; drain.
• Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, mushrooms and 2 teaspoons thyme. Cook, tossing occasionally, until tender and beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the flour to coat the vegetables; cook 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and milk and bring to a boil, stirring, until the mixture is thick and creamy, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tuna and 1/2 cup pimiento cheese; stir until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Stir in the pasta until combined; season with salt and pepper.
• Dollop the remaining 1/2 cup pimiento cheese on the pasta mixture and broil until the cheese is melted and browned in spots, 1 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the cracker crumbs and remaining 1 teaspoon thyme and broil until the crackers begin to brown, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Let cool 10 minutes.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain.
• Meanwhile, pulse 2 cups spinach, 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon each olive oil and nuts, the lemon zest and juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the red pepper flakes in a food processor until smooth. Scrape down the sides; add the parmesan and pulse until smooth. Set the pesto aside.
• Form the sausage into nickel-size patties, about 1/2 inch thick. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the patties and cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Flip, add the garlic to the skillet and cook until the patties are just cooked through, about 2 more minutes.
• Add the pasta, pesto and 1/4 cup reserved cooking water to the skillet. Toss to coat, adding more cooking water as needed; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the remaining 2 cups spinach. Top with parmesan and the remaining 1 tablespoon nuts; drizzle with olive oil.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with butter. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Drain, rinse under cold water and drain again.
• Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the panko and cook, stirring often, until golden and toasted, 3 to 5 minutes. Immediately remove from heat and set aside to cool.
• Melt remaining 8 tablespoons butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and jalapeño and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add flour and paprika, stir well, and cook until vegetables are coated, about 1 minute.
• While whisking, carefully stream in the milk until smooth and incorporated. Bring to a simmer while continuing to whisk. Simmer, whisking often, until thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add the Cheddar cheese, cream cheese and pimentos, and stir until the cheese is completely melted and smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Add cooked pasta and stir to coat. Transfer to the baking dish and spread evenly. Evenly sprinkle the toasted panko on top. Bake until golden and bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then serve.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Fill a large pot with the water and add 2 tablespoons salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, add the macaroni, and cook for about 5 minutes, until just shy of al dente. Drain and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the white and aged Cheddars and the Parmesan. Remove and reserve one-fourth of the cheese mix for the top. To the bowl with the rest of the cheese mix, add the macaroni, pimentos, and flour and mix well to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until blended, then whisk in the hot sauce, evaporated milk, half-and-half, and 2 teaspoons salt, mixing well. While whisking constantly, slowly add the béchamel to create a custard. Pour the custard evenly over the noodle mixture.
• Cover with a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil and bake for 50 minutes, rotating the dish 180 degrees halfway through baking. Uncover the dish. If you plan to eat the mac and cheese right away, sprinkle the reserved cheese on top. If you plan to freeze the dish, do not add the cheese. Continue to bake, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until set, golden, and bubbling. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
• TO FREEZE: Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until well chilled. Wrap the baking dish in two layers of plastic wrap, label and date, and freeze for up to 3 months.
• TO THAW: You can reheat this dish from frozen, or you can pull it out of the freezer and thaw it in the refrigerator for a minimum of 24 hours.
• TO REHEAT: If reheating from frozen, unwrap the dish, place in a cold oven, and set the oven to 350°F. When the oven reaches temperature, bake for 1½ hours, then sprinkle the surface with the remaining cheese mix and bake for 15 minutes longer, until bubbling. If reheating after thawing, cut the cook time to 30 to 45 minutes.