Tuscan Macncheese Recipes

TUSCAN MAC'N'CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Remove casings, if present, from sausage.
• In a skillet cook crumbled sausage; drain.
• In a very large bowl combine sausage, cooked pasta, cream cheese, bread cubes, olives and mozzarella cheese.
• Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan melt butter over medium heat, Stir in flour, sage, thyme, salt and cayenne pepper.
• Add milk all at once.
• Cook and stir until slightly thickened and bubbly.
• Pour sauce over pasta mixture.
• Stir gently.
• Tranfer mixture to a 2-quart casserole.
• Bake, covered, for 35 minutes.
• Uncover; top with tomato slices and Cheese of choice.
• Bake uncovered for 15 minutes more or until heated through.
• Let stand 15 minutes before serving, Sprinkle with fresh thyme, if desired.

ITALIAN THREE-CHEESE MACARONI

Steps:

• Cook macaroni according to package directions., Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°. In a small saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper until smooth; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in cheddar and Parmesan cheeses until melted. Drain macaroni., Spread 1 cup cheese sauce in a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Layer with half of macaroni, tomatoes and cheese sauce. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Combine bread crumbs and butter; sprinkle over top., Cover and bake 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 10-15 minutes longer or until golden brown and bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

ITALIAN MAC-N-CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt water and cook pasta to a chewy al dente, about 8 minutes.
• In a nonstick skillet, brown and crumble the sausage. Drain cooked crumbles on paper towel lined plate. Return pan to heat and add extra-virgin olive oil, butter, garlic and mushrooms. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Saute 3 to 5 minutes, until mushrooms are lightly golden.
• Preheat broiler to high.
• To mushrooms, add flour and stir, cooking 2 minutes. Whisk in stock, then stir in cream. Bring cream to a bubble, then stir in 2 cups of 4 cheese blend. When cheese has melted into sauce, add tomatoes. When sauce comes to a bubble, remove from heat and adjust seasonings, adding hot sauce if desired.
• Combine cheese sauce with sausage and pasta, transfer to flameproof baking dish, casserole or flameproof serving platter. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of 4 cheese blend and the grated Parmesan over the top and brown under hot broiler.