Artichoke Macaroni and Cheese

I was very set on making this recipe in January. Starting February 1^st husband and I will be embarking on a “no spend month.” Since this recipe was new, and a little interesting (meaning I wasn’t sure how it would turn out) I knew that if I didn’t make it in January I would have to wait until March. My fear was that this recipe could turn out to be a dud and if it did I wanted to give us the option of ordering food as a backup plan. We wouldn’t be able to do that in February. Thankfully this turned out to be a pretty good meal.

It’s definitely a different take on an old comfort food. I love macaroni and cheese made from scratch. It’s so much creamier and not neon orange. This recipe has so many of the basic ingredients that are found in homemade macaroni and it came together rather quickly. The sauce was ready for the noodles as soon as the noodles were ready to be drained – impressive. The addition of artichokes is what had me so interested in the recipe. I’ve tried a few delicious macaroni recipes that had added a few veggies like spinach or tomatillos so I was interested in trying out artichokes. They add a nice punch of flavor that doesn’t overwhelm the entire dish. It’s a nice little addition that was very welcome.

This recipe has a very subtle flavor and I think it would be better suited as a side dish. I had never made macaroni with either of these cheeses but the flavor was good, although mellow. Of course, the brand of goat cheese you use will make a huge impact on the flavor. I like milder goat cheese and the type I used is wonderful. If you want to add a little extra flavor you could easily use cheddar instead of mozzarella, add a dash of hot sauce, add a dash of dijon or use marinated artichokes.

Enjoy!

16 oz. elbow macaroni
2 T. olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 onion, diced
3 T. flour
2 cups milk
14 oz. artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup mozzarella, shredded
4 oz. goat cheese
Kosher salt
Pepper
½ cup panko
¼ cup Parmesan

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Cook macaroni according to package directions and pour into a greased 9X13 casserole dish.

While macaroni is cooking , heat olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until soft. Add garlic and sauté one or two minutes more.

Sprinkle in flour and cook about a minute while stirring. Whisk in milk and bring slowly to a simmer. Stir in artichoke hearts.

Remove from heat and add mozzarella and goat cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Pour cheese sauce over the noodles. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with bread crumbs and Parmesan.

Bake, uncovered, 30–35 minutes, until breadcrumbs are browned.

Adapted from http://www.cozi.com/live-simply/recipes/wack-n-cheese