Give Us All The Comfort Food
Nothing says “warm up on my couch in sweatpants while we watch football” quite like the indulgence of a classic mac and cheese, except for maybe this jalapeño popper mac and cheese. It’s basically like your two favorite game-watching foods’ love child.
We’ve been looking for an excuse to share this baked macaraoni recipe for a while, so when our partner Fred Meyer asked us to craft a recipe under the guise of game day greats we knew it was time. Before we jump to recipe details, let’s review the basics of a classic baked mac and cheese.
How to Make Homemade Baked Macaroni and Cheese:
If you’re looking to make a spicy baked mac and cheese recipe, we love that you’ve already committed to rich comfort food! So you probably won’t be surprised to see a lot of (ahem) indulgent ingredients on this list! Here’s what you’ll need to get started on the perfect classic mac and cheese:
- Lots of good-quality, meltable cheeses (think cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack and mozzarella)
- Whole milk
- Butter
- Flour
- Spices
- Pasta
- Panko or breadcrumbs
Keep reading to see how we take a classic baked mac and cheese recipe and give it a few minor upgrades to transform it into jalapeño macaroni and cheese!
How To Make the Best Mac and Cheese!
If you’re making baked mac and cheese with jalapeño, the key to success is making sure there’s not just *enough* creamy, cheesy sauce, but that there is, in fact, extra sauce. As the macaroni and cheese bakes, the pasta absorbs a lot of the cheese sauce. When you set out to make this recipe, it might initially look like you’ve got an unbalanced noodle-to-sauce ratio, but we’re going to ask you to just trust us on this one. It’ll turn out perfectly—promise!
Here’s How to Take Your Mac and Cheese Up a Notch:
By following this simple recipe for baked jalapeño mac and cheese you’ll find that you really can add anything you want to take the flavor to the next level. For this recipe, we are making it a true jalapeño popper mac and cheddar cheese by adding good quality Simple Truth cream cheese, jalapeños and thick cut Simple Truth bacon! Don’t be limited by our concept though. If you feel like experimenting, here’s a list of “add-ins” to try: :
- Blue cheese + chives
- Caramelized onions
- Sautéed mushrooms
- Crab or lobster
- Hot sauce
- Broccoli
Tools You Will Need:
More Carb-y, Cheesy Goodness.
- Keep it classic with this, well, classic baked macaroni and cheese.
- Just four ingredients in this easy macaroni and cheese recipe.
- The mushrooms are the real star in this mushroom mac and cheese.
- No milk or butter necessary in this dairy free mac and cheese
Game Day, Rainy Day or any Lazy Day
This dish is perfect for them all. When you give this spicy macaroni and cheese recipe a try, we’d love to hear about it! Be sure to snap a photo, add it to your Instagram feed or stories, and tag @themodernproper and #themodernproper.
This sponsored post is written by TMP on behalf of Fred Meyer. The opinions and text are all ours. Thank you for supporting the brands we love.
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