Mac and cheese bites
These little bites of cheesy crunchy heaven are my go to for my kids birthday parties. They’re always a hit with the kids and the adults and there are never any leftovers. They’re not too hands on either and can be made before the party and kept in a warm oven. If you time it right, you can make them right before guests arrive and then ya done!
Ingredients:
1lb elbow pasta
kosher salt
6 tbl unsalted butter divided
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 small onion minced
2 garlic cloves minced
1/4 cup of all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups of whole milk
1 tbl brown mustard
a pinch of nutmeg
2 cups of yellow cheddar cheese shredded
2 cups of white cheddar cheese shredded
Ok so..
Preheat oven to 375F. Grease two mini muffin tins with non stick spray.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
While your water comes to a boil, heat a medium sized skillet over medium heat. Melt 3 tbl of butter. When foaming has subsided, add the panko breadcrumbs and a pinch of salt and toast stirring until golden brown. Put in a small bowl to the side to cool.
Add pasta to boiling salted water and cook until al dente accoding to the time on the box. Drain and set aside.
Melt the other 3 tbl of butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add minced onions and a pinch of salt. Cook until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes.
Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Sprinkle the flour into the pot and stir constantly for about 2 minutes.
Slowly pour the milk into the flour mixture while whisking constantly. Lower the heat to medium low and allow it to simmer, stirring occasionally until mixture has thickened, about 8 minutes.
Add the mustard, nutmeg and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Remove from the heat and stir in 2 cups of white cheddar and 1 1/2 cups of yellow cheddar, reserving 1/2 cup to sprinkle on top of the muffins.
Scoop about 1-2 tablespoons of mixture into the prepared muffin tins and top with a sprinkle of cheese and breadcrumbs.
Bake for 17-19 minutes until cheese looks golden. Let sit for 10 minutes before popping the muffins out of the tins. Serve immediately or at room temperature.
