When I think of comfort food, the number one dish that comes to mind is creamy Mac & Cheese! There are so many ways to prepare Mac & Cheese & I admit I change up my recipes often, but this one is my go-to for gatherings & holiday cooking. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 box elbow macaroni noodles

1 large block of extra sharp cheddar

1 small block of gruyere

1 small block of Monterey Jack

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 block of softened cream cheese

1 cup heavy whipping cream (plus another 1/2 cup for the 2nd part of this recipe)

1 cup milk

Salt

Pepper

Johnny’s seasoning salt

Cayenne pepper

Chile powder

Paprika

To Make:

Preheat oven to 350

Bring a salted pot of water to a boil

Once water is boiling, add box of macaroni noodles and stir frequently to keep from sticking (a little olive oil helps)

Boil for about 8-10 minutes until noodles are slightly al dente. Strain and set aside. Add butter or olive oil to prevent noodles from sticking.

Grate all the cheeses and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine milk & heavy cream and whisk together.

Add a healthy amount of the spices. Taste before adding eggs to mixture. Tip: seasoning tends to cook out, so add enough for flavor.

Add eggs to milk mixture.

Add in most of the cheese. Reserve about 2 cups for stovetop mixture & topping.

On the stovetop (medium low heat) melt together the cream cheese & 1/2 cup heavy cream

Add the seasonings from the ingredients list and whisk into milk mixture.

Once the cream cheese has melted down and incorporated into the milk mixture, add in half of the reserved cheese. Stir until mixture is melted and thick then remove from stove.

Combine macaroni noodles into the mixing bowl with the first mixture (made before the stovetop mixture).

Slowly add in the stovetop cheese sauce to your bowl and mix with a spatula to combine.

Spoon macaroni mixture into a greased 9×13 oven safe dish. Spread layer evenly with a spatula.

Spread the remaining grated cheese over the top.

Cover with foil & bake at 350 for 30.

Remove foil & bake additional 5-10 minutes until the top layer of cheese is bubbly & hot,

Let cool for 5-10 minutes & enjoy!

This macaroni is rich, creamy & delicious on its own, but it is also a great side dish served with fried fish, chicken or steak. Add broccoli florets or jalapeño peppers to make this mac the star of the meal! Comfort food for the soul!