I am pretty sure it's no secret that I love cheese. I mean, is there a more perfect food? Can be sweet or savory, perfect anytime of day. Great on its own or partnered with a variety of other foods. One of the best ways to consume it is on pasta. And macaroni and cheese is truly a fantastic culinary achievement. This recipe piles creamy macaroni and cheese into adorable bell pepper jack o'lanterns, which turns something delicious into something adorable. This was fairly easy to make and I highly recommend it for spooky season!
Ingredients: salt, orange bell peppers, elbow macaroni, half-and-half, cream cheese, mild Cheddar cheese
Step 1: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Step 2: Cut the tops off the peppers and reserve. Remove the seeds and membranes. Put the peppers and the tops in the boiling water and cook until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Plunge the peppers into the ice bath. Once cool, remove them and use a sharp knife to carve a jack-o-lantern face into one side of each pepper. Step 3: Return the water to a boil, add the macaroni and cook until al dente, about 6 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain (don't rinse the pasta). Step 4: Heat the half-and-half in a large saucepan over medium heat until it just comes to a simmer. Continue simmering until reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 10 minutes. Add the cream cheese and stir until melted. Whisk in the Cheddar until all the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Step 5: Off the heat, add the macaroni to the saucepan and stir to combine. Stir in some of the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce if needed. Season with salt if needed. Let sit for 10 minutes, then divide the mac and cheese among the peppers and cap each with a pepper top.
Mac O'Lantern and Cheese Bowls
Recipe:
Salt
6 medium orange bell peppers
8 ounces elbow macaroni
1 1/4 cups half-and-half
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
4 ounces mild Cheddar, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Cut the tops off the peppers and reserve. Remove the seeds and membranes. Put the peppers and the tops in the boiling water and cook until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Plunge the peppers into the ice bath. Once cool, remove them and use a sharp knife to carve a jack-o-lantern face into one side of each pepper. Return the water to a boil, add the macaroni and cook until al dente, about 6 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain (don't rinse the pasta). Heat the half-and-half in a large saucepan over medium heat until it just comes to a simmer. Continue simmering until reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 10 minutes. Add the cream cheese and stir until melted. Whisk in the Cheddar until all the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Off the heat, add the macaroni to the saucepan and stir to combine. Stir in some of the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce if needed. Season with salt if needed. Let sit for 10 minutes, then divide the mac and cheese among the peppers and cap each with a pepper top.
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