Roasted Red Pepper Mac and Cheese



Allow me to wow you with yet another mac and cheese dish that both the kids and adults love AND it sneaks in a veggie. We love red peppers in this house. I eat them year round. I purchase them on sale, roast them, skin them, and keep them in my freezer. I find that I can use roasted peppers in tons of different ways. This mac and cheese is a total hit. It uses my secret ingredient mac and cheese recipe as a base and works in 2 whole red bell peppers. Not bad for sneaking in a veggie. My kids absolutely loved it and didn't even notice it was different. I loved it too. The bell peppers brought in a nice sweetness and the hot sauce gives it that punch. It isn't spicy, it is just a well-rounded flavor. If you want it to be spicy, add in more hot sauce.  



Ingredients

1 box uncooked macaroni (1 lb)
1/2 cup or 1 stick butter
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper (can use black, but it will be visible with black specks)
1 1/2 tsp ground mustard
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
3 1/2 cups milk

2 roasted red bell peppers, seeded, skinned, cored
2 Tablespoons Frank's Hot Sauce
2 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan.

2. Fill a large saucepan with water, and bring to a boil. Stir in the macaroni; cook until al dente. Drain well. Pour noodles into prepared 9x13 pan.


3. Meanwhile in another large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, onion powder, mustard powder, and milk; whisk until smooth. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, for 3-5 minutes until the sauce is hot and begins to bubble.  Reduce heat to low. Add in the red bell peppers and puree using a hand mixer or transfer to a blender or food processor to puree until smooth. Return to heat and whisk in cheese and hot sauce. Stir until melted.  Pour cheese sauce over noodles in prepared 9x13 pan.


4. Bake, uncovered, 10 minutes.
 




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