Piggy Pasta Mac-n-Cheese

 

Our chosen grandson turned 10 years old recently.  He requested a homemade macaroni and cheese for his birthday meal.

When the birthday boy gets to choose the menu, you don't argue. You make Piggy Pasta. When he said the name, I immediately knew he had been putting some thought into this already. He quickly listed the meats he wanted along with the cheeses! I have to admit, I was super proud when he included Conecuh into the ingredient lineup!

This over-the-top baked mac and cheese is loaded with ham, breakfast sausage, Conecuh sausage, bacon, and a blend of five cheeses. It's rich, creamy, comforting, and guaranteed to be the first dish to disappear from the table.

Serves 10-12 with generous servings!  Feel free to half the recipe and cook in an 8 x 8 casserole dish.

For the Pasta

• 1 pound cavatappi pasta

For the Pork

• 6 slices bacon
• ½ pound breakfast sausage
• ½ pound diced ham
• 12 ounces Conecuh sausage, sliced lengthwise, and then  into half rounds

For the Cheese Sauce

• 4 T. butter
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1 t. Dijon mustard or mustard powder
• 1 t. onion powder
• 1 t. garlic powder or granulated garlic
• ½ t. smoked paprika
• ½ t. black pepper
• 1 t. salt (or to taste)

Cheese Blend

• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 cup Fontina cheese, shredded
• 1 cup Gouda cheese, shredded
• 8 ounces Velveeta, cubed 
• ¾ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• NOTE:  save one cup of the cheese mixture for topping!

For the Topping

• Reserved crumbled bacon
• Reserved cheese blend

Cook the bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Remove and set aside on paper towels. Crumble when cool.

In the same skillet, cook the breakfast sausage until browned. Add the Conecuh sausage and cook until lightly browned around the edges. Stir in the diced ham and cook just until heated through.

Drain excess grease if necessary and set aside.

Cook the Pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Cook the pasta until just al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Make the Cheese Sauce

In a large Dutch oven or heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.

Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

Gradually whisk in the milk and half-and-half. Continue whisking until smooth and slightly thickened.

Stir in the Dijon mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt.

Reduce the heat to low.

Add the cheddar, Fontina, Gouda, Velveeta, and Parmesan. Stir until completely melted and smooth.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

Fold the cooked macaroni and pork mixture into the cheese sauce until evenly coated.

Pour into the prepared baking dish.

Top with the reserved cheese blend and crumbled bacon.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly golden on top.

Allow the casserole to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

This truly was a comfort food dish.  He thoroughly enjoyed his creation and I was happy to have made his idea into a meal he could remember for his 10th birthday!