Your Favorite Comfort Food, Now Perfectly Handy For When You’re On-The-Go!

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: macaroni and cheese is definitely one of our favorite meals and never ceases to make us feel good. While we thought we’d tried just about every iteration of our time-tested fave, for some reason it had never occurred to us until recently to divvy up a round of mac and cheese into some muffin pans for some easy-peasy, on-the-go macaroni bites that are perfect at any time of day! Now we can throw one in a plastic bag and then microwave it at work, or send one or two off in our kids’ lunches…they taste great and everyone’s happy – that’s more than enough for us!

Mac N Cheese Cups

Yield: 1-3 dozen, depending on size of muffin tin(s)

Ingredients

• 8 oz. uncooked macaroni pasta
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup Panko or seasoned breadcrumbs
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, as needed
• tomatoes, sliced, garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400º F, bring a large pot of salted water to boil and lightly grease your muffin tin(s) with butter or non-stick spray.
2. Cook pasta according to packaging directions, or until just al dente, then drain and set aside.
3. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter, then whisk in flour and stir until mixture is smooth and paste-like.
4. Cook roux for 1-2 minutes (to cook out the flour flavor), then slowly whisk in the milk.
5. Stir mixture until smooth, then add in cheddar, mozzarella and nutmeg, and mix until completely melted and combined.
6. Pour drained pasta into the cheese sauce and mix until evenly coated.
7. Using an ice cream scoop or a large spoon, fill muffin tin molds to the top with macaroni.
8. Melt remaining butter and, in a small bowl, whisk in breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese.
9. If using tomatoes, place one slice on each macaroni cup, then evenly sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over the top.
10. Place muffin tins in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until tomatoes are roasted and breadcrumb topping is golden brown.
11. Remove from oven and serve immediately or at room temperature.

Recipe adapted fromFood And Wine