Cajun Mac and Cheese

If you’re tired of traditional baked and mac and cheese – or worse, the boxed variety – you have to try this Cajun variation on an American favorite. It’s creamy with a kick, filled with spicy sausage and sweet bell peppers. It’s quite a lot for two people, plan to get two meals out of it.

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 12 ounces wagon-wheel pasta (or use shells, as I did)
• 2 T evoo
• 6 ounces andouille sausage, diced (I recommend using two sausage links)
• 2 bunches scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 bell pepper (red or green), chopped
• 1 T Cajun spice blend (you may want extra to sprinkle on your serving)
• 2 T flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes

Directions

1. Chop pepper and scallions, set aside.

2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 1 minute less than the label directs. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.

3. Dice the sausage and combine with olive oil in a large skillet and cook over high heat until it starts to brown, about 2 minutes.

4. Stir in the scallions and bell pepper and cook until the vegetables are slightly soft, about 3 more minutes.

5. Add the Cajun spice and flour and cook, stirring, 2 more minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk and continue whisking until the sauce is thick and smooth, about 5 more minutes.

6. Add the pasta, cheese and reserved cooking water to the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, tossing to coat the pasta in the sauce and melt the cheese, about 1 minute.

Tweaked from Food Network.

T