Pintres

Monday, February 1, 2016

Sausage Stuffed Mini Mac and Cheese Bites


If you follow me along on my obsession with appetizers you should have learned by now that I have a great love for cheese.
So of course I follow Cabot Cheese on Instagram & Twitter, I mean don't you follow cheese companies on social media?!?
It was National Cheese Day (some people call it national Angie day) and Cabot was having a contest, and I was one of the lucky winners, a wonderful box of cheeses a lovely cheese knife also a wine bottle opener for me & a friend!  I was one happy girl! 


                                                             Thanks so much Cabot

Well besides eating the cheese straight up, of course I have to come up with some new appetizers!
And this is just the first.
I have heard of mac and cheese bites, but I thought I would do something a little more and stuff them with sausage.  
Also what I thought may be good would be a little slice of kielbasa in the mini cups of cheesey goodness.

So here we go!

What you need:
6oz sausage, I used Jimmy Dean
7oz elbow macaroni
8oz Cabot Farmhouse Reserve cheese, shredded
2 Tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups milk
2 Tablespoons flour
2oz cream cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1 egg

How to make it:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
Cook your elbow macaroni, according to package, when finished set aside

Cook your sausage, do not over cook! Drain on a paper towel lined plate. I used to over cook all meats, hockey puck like texture, I have learned that is not how to cook meat now )  What you're looking for is a little pink, in the meat.  Because it will continue cooking once combined with the pasta.

Melt butter in pan on your cooktop, once melted whisk in flour, slowly add in milk, followed by your cream cheese and seasonings.

Once that is well combined add in almost all the Cabot shredded cheese, stir until all melted, now set aside
In a bowl add your noodles, stir in that egg.
Now pour in that awesome cheese sauce.
Look at this beautiful packaging! 

Woah mama, I know you wanna eat it now but, hold onto your horses.
Take a non stick mini muffin tin, if it is not non stick (do they even sell those anymore?!) spray that bad boy so they don't stick.
Using a small spoon fill the cups halfway with the cheese noodle mix
Next add a generous pinch of sausage

Fill the cup up with more noodles
Take a pinch of the remaining cheese and add to the top of the cups.

Bake at 400 for 20 minute
Turn on your broiler and cook another 5 minutes, keep an eye on it so they do not burn.
You are looking to brown the tops is all.



Now remove and let them cool for at least 5 minutes before eating.



They should slide right on out of the pan.
My boys LOVED them, they popped them one after another into their happy little mouths!



Hope you enjoy!!


No comments:

Post a Comment