Upscale Macaroni and Cheese

This is a delicious and adult macaroni and cheese made with blue cheese.  You can serve it as a side dish or as a main course.  It is decadent and very rich.  My friend Tracy shared this recipe with me about 25 years ago and it's one of my favorites.  This recipe is for blue cheese lovers.  I serve a medium Chardonnay with this recipe.  Cheers!


2 Tbs. butter.

3 large re bell peppers cut into 1/4 inch pieces.

1 1/2 cup whipping cream

1 1/2 cup half and half.

1 lb. good blue cheese.  

3 large egg yolks.

1 lb. of penne pasta.

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper.

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Salt and pepper to taste.


Cook penne pasta to package directions.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Melt butter in a skillet over medium high heat.  Add bell peppers and saute until softened.  This will take 7-10 minutes  Remove peppers from heat.  Season with salt and pepper.  

Combine cream, half and half and blue cheese in a heavy sauce pan.  Stir over medium heat until the blue cheese has melted.  Add cayenne pepper and stir.  Beat egg yolks in a separate bowl with a whisk.  Gradually whisk in 1/2 of the cream and blue cheese mixture.  Keep stirring so that the eggs don't get scrambled by the hot liquid.  Once 1/2 the mixture has been Incorporated into the bowl with the eggs, return the egg mixture back into the sauce pan with the other half on the cream mixture.  Keep whisking to blend.  Leave on low heat.

Grease a baking dish with cooking spray.  Mix together the cooked penne pasta, blue cheese mixture and add bell pepper. Once combined, pour into baking dish. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top and bake for 20-25 minutes until bubbly hot.




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