Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 cups dried Macaroni noodles
• 1 Red Bell Pepper (finely chopped)
• 1 Jalapeno pepper (seeded and minced)
• 1 Anaheim pepper (finely chopped)
• 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 teaspoon dry mustard powder
• 1 whole egg
• 1/2 pound Cheddar cheese (shredded (plus a little more for topping))
• 1/4 pound Pepperjack cheese (shredded)
• 1/4 pound Gruyere or Fontina cheese (shredded)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions

1. 1

   Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni for about 5 minutes. The noodles should still be very firm. Drain and set aside.

2. 2

   In a medium skillet, sauté the bell pepper, jalapeno, and Anaheim pepper in one tablespoon of butter until soft. Add the garlic and sauté for an extra 30 seconds. Then, switch off the heat and take it off the stove.

3. 3

   Return the empty pasta pot to the stove and melt 1/4 cup of butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for five minutes, stirring constantly. The flour mixture will bubble and froth in the pan.

4. 4

   Blend the whole milk and ground mustard into the flour mixture using a whisk. Keep cooking and stirring for another five minutes until the mixture thickens significantly. Reduce the heat to low.

5. 5

   Beat one egg in a small bowl. Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly drizzle it into the bowl containing the beaten egg while whisking constantly. This will temper the egg and keep it from scrambling.

6. 6

   Whisk the egg mixture into the large pot. Add the grated cheese, salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika, and nutmeg. Stir well.

7. 7

   Put the cooked macaroni back in the pot and give it a stir. Fold in the sautéed vegetables. Transfer it to a buttered 9 x 13 baking dish (or individual dishes) and sprinkle extra grated cheese on top. Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit (160 degrees Celsius) for 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.