Three-Cheese Macaroni and Broccoli

As a kid, there were few delicacies as spectacular as good old macaroni and cheese.  With a little sprinkle of pepper and salt, I'd carefully spike a noodle onto each of the prongs of my fork. The neon orange magic was something I relished with the zeal of a foodie with a forkful of foie gras. This love for the simple pleasure of macaroni followed me into my adult life, where the early part consisted of boxes of Annie's Mac and cheese with broccoli on the side. While I usually keep a few boxes around for a rainy and lazy day, I usually make my mac and cheese from scratch now, and there are about a billion renditions to try.  This is one I like to make on a cold night, combining my college cuisine with a grown-up cooking touch. It's similar to my World's Best Macaroni and Cheese recipe, with a few changes.

Three-Cheese Macaroni and Broccoli

-1/2 lb. elbow macaroni

-3 large eggs

-1 can evaporated milk

 -1/4 t. cayenne pepper

-1/8 t. ground nutmeg

-1  cup grated sharp cheddar

-1 cup grated mozzarella

-1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

-1/4 t. salt

-1/2 t garlic powder

-2 cups broccoli

Directions: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cook macaroni 6 minutes ( it will be slightly under-cooked) throwing broccoli in the boiling water with the pasta the last two minutes to cook. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and evaporated milk. Add 1/2 t. salt, cayenne, salt, pepper, garlic powder, nutmeg and cheeses, mix well. Add macaroni and broccoli and stir well to combine. Transfer to a sprayed 9-inch glass baking pan and bake 15 minutes until slightly browned and bubbly at edges. Let sit 5-10 minutes before serving.

Comforting and nostalgic, this is always a crowd-pleaser. Of course I apply Sriracha sauce afterwards to finish it off.

I've heard some terrible rumors about a future Sriracha shortage, so I'd stockpile the stuff if you're like me and can't eat anything without at least a few drops of the spicy love sauce. This recipe is a nice alternative to the artificial colors and flavors  in boxed macaroni and cheese ( ahem, Kraft)  Enjoy!

x