It's Sunday Funday time again, featuring Mac and Cheese recipes. A few weeks back, I picked up some Orzo at the store, thinking I'd add it to soup, but then this challenge came up, and I wondered how I could do a twist on classic Mac n' Cheese. I love pasta and cheese, and have made many versions of Mac n' Cheese over the years.
We were introduced to Bahamian Style Mac n' Cheese many years ago, on a trip to the Bahamas, and I've since made it several times. Personally, I love the blue box Mac n' Cheese and have been known to make it for myself when I wanted to indulge. Many years ago, I cooked for our local Senior Center, and one memorable meal, I made some Mac n' Cheese, and people literally scraped the pan clean. Then I was asked to bring some to an Easter dinner, so I did.
I wasn't done experimenting either; last year I was staying in a rental with a half kitchen, got a craving for Mac n' Cheese, and came up with this: Stovetop Mac n' Cheese with Asparagus. And it was good.
And now we are here. I had some Edam Cheese in the fridge; I'd bought it as a BOGO, and ate one but still had another wheel in the fridge. I also had some Tilsit Cheese, which needed to be eaten, and I decided to combine it with some grated Colby Jack cheese in a Bechamel sauce. I added some powdered wasabi as well, and it was ok, not great, but ok. Then I sautéed some shallots and ham, chopped a serrano pepper, and added it to the pot, and it got a lot better.
It actually tasted more like a cheesy risotto, and I'll probably not make it this way again. Or maybe I will. I do love my pasta, in pretty much any form.
Amy of Amy's Cooking Adventures is our hostess this month. She wanted to see what fun stuff we could do with good ol' Mac n' Cheese.
Check out what my fellow Sunday Funday bloggers came up with:
- Cauliflower Spinach Mac and Cheese by Food Lust People Love
- Gruyére and Emmentaler Macaroni and Cheese with Ham and Sourdough by Karen's Kitchen Stories
- Instant Pot Chicken Mac and Cheese by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Keto Roasted Cauliflower Mac & Cheese by Sneha's Recipe
- Messy Jack Mac'N'Cheese by Culinary Cam
- Pesto Mac by Amy's Cooking Adventures
- Spicy Cheezy Orzo by Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
Spicy Cheesy Orzo
Orzo isn't just for soup; make this stovetop Cheesy Orzo for your family.
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup grated cheese, mixture of Edam, Tilsit, and Colby Jack
- 1 tsp. cornstarch mixed in with the grated cheeses
- 1 cup bechamel sauce
- 1 serrano pepper, finely diced
- 1 shallot finely diced
- 1/2 cup diced bacon or ham
- 1/4 teaspoon powdered wasabi
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Melt butter in a small saucepan, add flour, and cook over heat for 4-5 minutes to cook the flour. Whisk in milk and cook until thickened, stirring the entire time. Pour over the cooked orzo and stir in the grated cheeses.
- 1 serrano pepper, finely minced
- 1 shallot, finely minced
- 1/2 cup bacon or ham, minced
- Saute in a pan until the shallot is translucent and the bacon is cooked through. Set aside while preparing the orzo and bechamel sauce.
Instructions
- Cook orzo according to package directions in the water and chicken stock; do not drain. Set aside while making the bechamel sauce.
- Add the bechamel sauce, the cheeses, and the sautéed veggies and meat to the cooked orzo. Most of the water will have been absorbed by the orzo. Continue stirring on low heat for another couple of minutes. Serve alongside meat or veggies or make a meal of it.
Estimate only
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Simple Shrimp Recipes - 25 + Appetizer, Entree, and Dipping Sauces.
Nibbles and Bites - A Compilation of Appetizers, Canapes and Finger Foods.
Hygge - Danish Food and Recipes
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