Happy 4th of July!!
We started celebrating a little early with lots of festive gear. We enjoyed this wonderful lunch treat today. If you are looking for a last minute and super easy recipe to enjoy on the 4th I’ve got you covered.
As soon as this vacation was planned, I was put in charge of food. I love planning a menu and was excited about the possibilities of cooking for my family for a whole week. As I began sending out the firsts drafts of the menu for feedback, my sister in law Megan recommended Mac and Cheese Hot Dogs. After several google searches I realized that people simply grilled hotdogs and topped them with their favorite mac and cheese.
My go to mac and cheese recipe comes from Pioneer Woman. Shocking I know! It’s so easy. We customize it with different add ins like ham or bacon. It turns out perfectly every time. I just season it with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. The original recipe calls for dry mustard but it’s a bit strong for our taste. Feel free to season with your favorite combination of spices.
Mac and Cheese
4 cups dried macaroni (I usually use shells but for the hot dogs I used elbow macaroni)
1 whole egg, beaten
1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup All-purpose Flour
2-1/2 cups milk (whole milk makes creamier mac and cheese but feel free to use whatever you have on hand)
4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon Salt, More To Taste
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne
1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
Bring 6 cups water to a boil. Cook macaroni to al dente. Drain and return to the pot.
Put the egg into a small bowl to beat. Set aside.
While macaroni is cooking, melt butter in a medium saucepan. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk until smooth. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes stirring constantly and being careful not to burn the sauce.
Add the milk and cook until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking eggs. Whisk together till smooth.
Pour egg mixture into sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth.
Add the cheese and stir again until the sauce is smooth and the cheese is melted. Add salt, pepper and cayenne. Adjust seasonings to your taste.
Pour the cheese sauce into the noodles and stir until all noodles are covered. Serve as is or use to top grilled hotdogs. So delicious!
Slightly adapted from Pioneer Woman