This Green Chile Macaroni and Cheese also gets topped with bread crumbs (and more cheese) and baked in the oven for a delicious crunchy topping. It’s an extra step that I don’t always do when making mac and cheese, but it’s so worth it for this recipe. Hand-grated mozzarella cheese – I recommend hand-grating all of your cheeses. This helps the cheese melt evenly and smoothly. Mozzarella adds stringy goodness! Add milk and cheese. Stir in milk and half and half, slowly, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add 1 cup shredded cheese to the sauce and stir just until melted. Add the cooked macaroni noodles and toss to coat them in the sauce. In a separate medium pan over low heat, add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter. Let melt. Increase heat to medium, add flour and whisk until incorporated.

This recipe freezes well. Just like with my other freezer friendly meals, I love to prepare two and freeze one for another day. You’ll want to freeze this dish prior to baking it in the oven! Make sure to let the mac and cheese cool completely then pour it into a freezer friendly dish, cover it well and freeze if for up to 3 months. Make the roux. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Blend in the flour, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes.

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This recipe is incredibly easy, and your kids would probably love to help you make it! I let my littles help grate the cheese and measure the noodles. Whisk for about 6-12 minutes over medium heat (depending on how cold your ingredients were when you started) until it passes the wooden spoon test. Stir constantly!

Thank you Tillamook for sponsoring this post. Visit your local Target to buy Tillamook Cheeses today! Hand-grated parmesan cheese – parmesan or Parmigiano-Reggiano and lobster are like PB&J! It’s a great garnish on top of your mac at the end of the baking process.

The bread crumb topping bakes up golden brown and really takes this dish to the next level. I was having a debate with someone a few weeks ago about what makes a great mac and cheese and for me, that’s varying texture, creamy sauce, and cheese pulls.

I’m pretty sure that most adults love a great homemade macaroni and cheese recipe just as much as our kids do! My kids will enjoy a box of Kraft macaroni and day, but everyone gets especially excited when I make this homemade mac and cheese, and for good reason! You don’t have to bake the mac and cheese in this recipe. Everything gets fully cooked and is essentially ready to eat after the cheese and noodles are added. However, I love the extra gooeyness that comes when the cheese is baked and I think baking it adds a level of sophistication you just don’t get without. Butter: salted or unsalted will work–just adjust the amount of salt you add, depending on the butter. Use fresh grated cheese. Pre-shredded store-bought cheese will not melt the same as freshly grated cheese, and grating the cheese helps it melt smoothly and evenly in the sauce. Pour into baking dish. Pour half or the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle ½ cup cheese over the top. Pour remaining pasta over it and sprinkle with remaining cheese.Cooked lobster meat – you can steam your own lobster but I recommend getting pre-cooked lobster meat which can usually be found at your grocery store or local fish market. James’ shift at the fire station falls on Thanksgiving every two out of four years and this is one of those years. When that happens we typically go to my Mom’s for lunch and then visit the fire station for dinner with all of the other families. It’s a fun tradition to see all of the kids running around the station… as the captain sneaks them all extra desserts throughout the evening. I don’t think they would let me in if I didn’t bring my famous Pecan Pie, but this year I’m also going to upgrade one of my favorite holiday dishes and bring a batch of this Green Chile Macaroni and Cheese made with hot green chiles and Tillamook Cheese.