Buffalo Mac ‘n Cheese

Tired of the same old dishes for your Superbowl party? Make this play off the ever so popular chicken wing and wow your guests with something familiar in flavor but new in style!

This Buffalo Mac ‘n Cheese blends all the flavors you love from your favorite Super Bowl treat into the perfect comfort food. With its spicy touch of hot sauce and pepper jack and its crunchy cracker crust, this mac ‘n cheese is the right blend of creamy texture and sharp taste. The addition of cheese cracker crust, paired with the spicy sauce and cheese mocks the taste of a crispy chicken wing. This Wisconsin-style meal tastes great with a cold glass of ale, or two!

Buffalo Mac ‘n Cheese
Servings: 2 cups, Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients
1 lb cellentani or cavatappi noodles
2 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 C rotisserie chicken, shredded
2 stalks celery, diced
1 small yellow onion, diced
½ tsp garlic salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1/3 C Buffalo-style Hot Sauce (I use Franks)
2 C 2% milk
1 ½ C half and half
6 TBSP butter
½ C flour
2 C Mexican blend shredded cheese
3 C pepper jack cheese, shredded
2 C store-bought baked cheese crackers (like Cheez-Its)
¼ C blue cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and boil for 12 minutes.

In a skillet, heat olive oil. Add celery, onion, garlic salt and pepper and cook until softened. About 5 minutes. Add chicken, mix thoroughly. Add hot sauce and simmer on low heat until heated through.

In a small saucepan, heat milk and half and half on medium heat. Stir occasionally, do not burn. In a large saucepan, melt butter. Slowly add flour and whisk to form thick roux. Slowly add warm milk mixture, whisking continuously. Continue to whisk mixture and slowly add cheese until cheese is melted and sauce is thick.

In 9×13 casserole dish, layer noodles, chicken mixture and cheese sauce. Mix thoroughly.

Add cheese crackers to food processor and pulse until small crumbs are formed. Sprinkle blue cheese and cracker mixture on top of noodles. Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes, until bubbly crust forms around the outside. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.