Mini Mac & Cheese

Roll apple roll. It's a conversation I've had often with my friends. How we are so much like our parents or how our children are like us. My mini me is exactly like me. That's why I call him mini me. We are alike in so many ways. We even like the same foods. So it's no surprise that he loves cheese. If left to our own devices we would probably eat grapes and cheese for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It's something I picked up from my mother and that my mini has picked up from me.

So as the cold weather rolls in, I wanted to make my mini me a favorite to bring to school for lunch. And what dish has enough cheese to please mini me ... mac and cheese. I love old school mac and cheese. There's something about lots of cheese baked into noodles that says I love you. But I've been making stove top mac and cheese because I've needed something quickly. Can't keep mini me waiting for food. But today I cut out a bit of time so he can enjoy this baked dish at school. This dish is a combo of everything I love about baked mac and cheese as well as stove top mac and cheese. It baked and gooey with a cheese sauce. I mean who doesn't love a cheese sauce. Talk about comfort!!

Mini Mac & Cheese

Makes 12

Ingredients:
4 ounces of elbow noodles
1 egg
2 ounces of cheddar cheese (shredded)
2 ounces of monterey jack cheese(shredded)
2 ounces of parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons of flour
2 tablespoons of butter
1 cup of milk

½ teaspoon of salt

⅛ ground black pepper
bread Crumbs -Optional
salt and pepper to taste

Tools: Wire Whisk (A wire whisk works better with this cheese sauce) and cupcake pan.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray cup cake pan with oil.

Over medium heat, bring 3 quarts of water in a pot to a boil. Add a pinch of salt.

Once boiling, add the elbow noodles and cook for 6 minutes. Place noodles in a strainer and set aside.

In a saucepan over medium heat melt butter.

Once butter has completely melted, add flour and stir thoroughly. The flour will begin to brown. Keep stirring.

Add some ¼ teaspoon of salt and pepper.

Stir in milk and slowly add cheese. Whisk as you add cheese.

Add noodles. Use a spoon or spatula to make sure noodles are completely covered with cheese mixture.

Add additional salt and pepper to taste.

Remove cheese and noodle mixture from heat.

Whisk egg in a separate bowl then add to the cheese and noodle mixture. Mix thoroughly.

Add 1/2 cup of the mac and cheese mixture to each cup.

Place cupcake tin in oven and bake for 15 to 20 mins. The edges of the mac and cheese will become slightly browned.

Let the mini mac and cheese cool for about 5 minutes.

These were supposed to be part of mini me's lunch but were such as success there was nothing left. Guess I'll be making more of these before the week is over. Hope it goes as fast in your house.