Homemade Fiery Mac N Cheese | Kitchen Witchery with Sara

At this point, Lent just means "make all the foods I secretly crave 24/7."

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Which type of pasta is better for Mac n Cheese: shells or elbows?

I'm an elbows kind of person. I get the draw of shells, and how they hold pockets of gooey deliciousness, but my mom always made it with elbows growing up (and cubes of spam, and loads of sliced Kraft cheese). It was always so good with the Kraft singles and cubed pieces of spam; I don't know why.

However, you can absolutely make your own cheese sauce without the little slices of American cheese, and that means you can tailor the flavor profile to whatever you want. It also means you can add some extra magic in depending on what kind of cheese you choose (and what the cheese has in it). My go-to for a little sweet/sour combination is some clover honey goat cheese, which, when you combine it with smoked gouda, ghost pepper cheddar, and mascarpone, means you'll have something that's creamy, luxurious, a touch sweet, and a touch spicy, too.

Because when it comes to mac n' cheese... spice actually goes really well. The cream takes some of the sting out, making it the perfect opportunity to get the bright, fiery energy of the peppers to come out strong (and temper their more baneful associations). So let's talk about it!

Magic in Fiery Mac n' Cheese

Dairy is something that's associated with abundance, purity, and love (the last one based on a funny little charm from Kathryn Paulsen's books). If you ever take a peek at the celebration of Imbolc, where dairy like milk and butter play a large role, you'll see what I'm talking about regarding purity. And anything that was an important food source (like cheese) was associated with all things abundance.

There were even Christian spells to find out who was a thief using cheese, apparently!

It follows that not only is the cheese itself magical with certain associations, but also whatever's in the cheese, too. The ghost pepper, honey, nutmeg, and of course, the cheese in my homemade Mac n Cheese make for a delicious combination that will warm you up and sweeten any endeavors you're working on, attracting wealth, abundance, and the stamina to get them. With elements earth and fire showing up, as well as planets Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, and the Sun, you're bound to have a good time (and why shouldn't you? Nothing picks up your spirits and gets you ready to go like a comforting bowl of Mac n' Cheese!)

Fiery Mac n' Cheese

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

4 - 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 cups milk

• 2 Tbsp butter

• 2 Tbsp flour

• 7 oz ghost pepper cheddar

• 14 oz smoked gouda

• 4 oz honey goat cheese

• 8 oz mascarpone

• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

• 1 Tbsp garlic powder

• 1 Tbsp onion powder

• Salt & pepper to taste

• 1 box of elbow pasta

• (Optional) 2 packages of smoked andouille chicken sausage

Directions:

1. Shred all of your hard cheese into one bowl and set aside.

2. Melt butter in your pot, then add flour and stir until a paste forms.

3. Heat your milk, then add to the paste. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat.

4. Add your cheese, seasonings, and optional sausages, and combine.

5. Boil pasta according to package directions, then drain and add to the pot.

6. Stir together and serve.

Something about a hearty bowl of comfort food like this just picks up any day, and I think that goes doubly when you don't eat it often. I'm not often out here eating up the entire cheese aisle at the grocery store, but when I am, you bet it's an extra delicious treat. Try it out! ♥