Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese

Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese - made November 30, 2021 from Mildly Meandering 

1 box (12-16 ounces) elbow macaroni or pasta of your choice

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups milk

8 ounces smoked gouda, shredded

8 ounces white cheddar, shredded

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper 

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water according to the package directions; drain.
2. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until well combined. Slowly add milk and continue whisking until it starts to thicken.
3. Reduce heat to low and add smoked gouda cheese, white cheddar cheese, salt, pepper and paprika. Stir until cheeses have completely melted and sauce is smooth.
4. Add pasta to the sauce and toss until well combined. Serve with desired toppings.

Last post of 2021. Yeah, I can't believe another year is over already and we're coming up on entering a third year of a global pandemic. So....let's eat comfort food to process all that. 

Mac and cheese was never a childhood staple when I was growing up. We're Filipino so rice was the constant at meals. When I went to college, mac and cheese was a popular dorm food but I don't recall having it that often then either.

So why I consider mac and cheese a favorite comfort food now (although it doesn't beat spaghetti and meatballs) is beyond me. But I do. Not the bright orange of the boxed mac and cheese variety but honest to goodness "made from scratch" and made with real cheese, not the powdered stuff.

My only issue with mac and cheese is it seems to need protein. So I added sausage to this one. This dish is not the for calorie conscious or those who don't want their arteries to harden. It makes a rich and creamy sauce, so thick you could almost cut it when it's cool. But that just makes it so good. Which this is. I've become a fan of smoked gouda in savory dishes. It adds so much flavor and takes what could normally be bland mac and cheese to sublime mac and cheese. While this is definitely just a sometimes food because of its richness, it's a great sometimes food, perfect for comfort on cold winter nights. If you're like me and have all these grandiose plans to eat healthy come January 1, you might want to make this before then.