Avocado Mac and Cheese

Good evening, bloggies!  Hope you had a great weekend.  Ours was filled lindy-hop, tacos, and a surprise rendez-vous with friends while purchasing our solar viewers for the eclipse :)  We started off at the 7th Avenue food truck event then cruised over to Barrio to see the moon take a bite out of the sun and relax with friends.


As you may know, Mr. Food for Todd and I like mac and cheese a lot (OK, a lot a lot), but with the cheese and buttah and occasional quart of cream, it's not something we make all the time.  This mac and cheese is different though.  While it calls for 2 cups of cheese, it's still pretty wholesome and a unique way to get some good avocado fat into your day!


Plus, it comes together lightening-fast, doesn't require any chopping, and is just as tasty the next day :)  Don't miss out on this one!

Avocado Mac and Cheese

From Two Peas and Their Pod, Serves 4

10 ounces dry elbow macaroni (we used whole wheat/veggie-flavored bows)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 avocados, peeled and pitted
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk (we used nonfat)
2 cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Salt the water and add in macaroni. Stir and cook until Al Dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. While the pasta is cooking, make the avocado sauce by placing the garlic, avocados, lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper into a food processor or blender. Process until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

3. To make the cheese sauce, place butter in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. When butter is melted, whisk in flour to create a paste. Whisk in milk until smooth. Stir with a wooden spoon until the sauce starts to thicken. Add in Pepper Jack cheese and stir until cheese is melted and sauce is creamy.

4. Place macaroni in a large bowl. Pour the avocado sauce over the macaroni and stir until well coated. Add the cheese sauce and stir until macaroni is coated and creamy. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve warm. Garnish with fresh avocado chunks, if desired.

Mac and Cheese with Goat Cheese and Rosemary

Have you ever cooked at meal at home, tasted it, then thought to yourself, "gee, this tastes like restaurant food"?  This pasta, which I promise I cooked myself, tastes like restaurant food in a delicious, sinfully indulgent kind of way.  

We made this for Valentine's Day and loved it alongside a bottle of burgundy red.  Goat cheese and rosemary is a delicious combination, although I just about died when we put an entire quart of heavy cream in the saucepan - that plus eight ounces of goat cheese makes for one rich meal.  If I ever have a cream sauce at a restaurant, now I feel like I know how it's done!

The original dish included roast chicken, but Todd and I omitted it without incident.  I can't say enough how tasty this was, and if you have enough willpower to stop yourself from eating the entire thing in one sitting, it tastes amazing the next day, too!

Mac and Cheese with Goat Cheese and Rosemary

Slightly adjusted from My Baking Addiction

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 pound dried rigatoni

1 quart (!!!!!!!!!!!!) heavy cream

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

1 clove fresh garlic, crushed

8 ounces goat cheese

salt and pepper to taste

1. Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a rapid boil. Add the oil and rigatoni to the water and cook according to the directions on the package, 10-12 minutes.

2. While you are waiting for the water to boil, pour the cream into a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the rosemary and garlic to the cream and bring it to a simmer - take care not to let it boil over. Allow the cream to reduce by about half.

3. Stir in the goat cheese and continue cooking it till the cream coats the back of a spoon.

4. Thoroughly drain the pasta. Add the pasta to the sauce. Coat the pasta in the sauce and simmer over low heat for a few minutes. Serve hot.