Three Cheese Mini Macs

The girls and I are making our way back to California. We've stopped for a couple of days to visit family in the mountains of New Mexico. The air is cool, dry, and smells of sweet pine. The deer are running wild and the hummingbirds and butterflies are abundant.

I'll be back to my usual bi-weekly posts next week. I have many new recipes to share...I can't wait! Until then, here's a wonderful recipe for mini macaroni and cheese.

Three Cheese Mini Macs
Serves 8
Adapted from Dallas Morning News

1/2 pound elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup whole milk
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup fontina cheese, grated
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 425°F and adjust rack to middle position. Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook macaroni until al dente. Drain. Butter a 12-cup muffin tin (or a mini 24 count muffin tin) and sprinkle a pinch of Parmesan cheese in each cup.

Melt butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and continue to whisk for 2 minutes to cook flour. Slowly add milk while whisking to prevent clumping. Bring milk to a boil and then take off of the heat. Stir in cheddar and fontina cheese until cheese is melted. Whisk in egg yolk. Pour macaroni into cheese mixture and stir until macaroni is evenly coated with sauce. Spoon large tablespoons of the macaroni into the muffin cups.

Bake mini macs for 8-10 minutes until golden. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.