Mac and Cheese Cups

    Wow, what a weekend, we spent all day Saturday and Sunday moving into the new house.  I am exhausted and can't stand that everything is still in boxes, but it is so nice to finally be in the new house, even if it is a disaster.  Anyways, Allie, from Alexandra Bee Blog had posted about her Mac and Cheese Cups recipe a while back and they looked incredible, I mean who can say no to individual portions of Mac and Cheese?!  Not this cheese lover.

     I used her original recipe from allrecipes.com and was so happy with the results.  I do think next time I would add some more sharp cheddar cheese or switch it up and add Gruyere to give the cups a punch of extra flavor,  I skimped on these cheese this time to save a few calories, and won't make that mistake again,  but overall they were a crowd favorite. 

Ingredients:
                       

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

                                        

1 tablespoon butter

                     

1 egg, beaten

                       

1 cup milk

1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

 

1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

                       

1/2 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs  ( I used Panko bread crumbs)                                                   

                       

2 teaspoons olive oil

                       

1/2 teaspoon salt

 

( I also added a pinch of pepper, paprika, and red pepper flakes for extra flavor).

 

Directions:

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. In a small bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, olive oil and salt; set aside.

     2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook for about 8 minutes, it should still be a little bit firm. Remove from the heat, drain and return to the pan; stir in the butter and egg until pasta is evenly coated. Reserve 1/2 cup of sharp Cheddar cheese and stir the remaining Cheddar cheese, milk and mozzarella cheese into the pasta. Spoon into the prepared muffin tin. Sprinkle the reserved cheese and the bread crumb mixture over the tops.

  3. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the topping is nicely browned. Allow the muffins to cool for a few minutes before removing from the pan. This will allow the cheese to set and they will hold their muffin shape.

 

I need to majorly work on my food photography skills. 

 

  These were such a breeze to make and a great appetizer to bring to any bbq, brunch, girls night in, etc.