Shared Recipe Y'all....Chris W's Mac N Freak'n Great Cheese

You know we love sharing recipes and really get excited when friends and family share with us. Since our market basket this week also included Kale - I couldn't help but put this on the menu for the upcoming weekend...seriously, this is the best Mac N' Cheese recipe EVER!

With the holidays coming up this needs to be on your menu. Give it a try and let us know how you liked it.

Enjoy!
Cheryl




Chris W's Mac N Freak'n Great Cheese

INGREDIENTS:
4 cups dried macaroni
2 pounds collard, mustard, kale or turnip greens
14 tbsp of butter, divided, plus extra to grease the baking dish
1 1/2 tsp finely chopped garlic
4 tbsp all-purpose flour
4 cups heavy cream
4 tsp finely chopped fresh parsley
4 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme
2 tsp finely chopped fresh sage
1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 lb grated sharp cheddar cheese
2/3 cup panko


HOW TO:

Preheat oven to 350F, butter a deep casserole dish

Cook and drain the macaroni

Rinse and remove the tough stems from the greens. Pat dry and cut into strips. Heat a heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 4 tbsp butter and the garlic and heat until the butter is melted and the garlic is fragrant. Add the greens and cook, gently stir until wilted, about 5 minutes. Empty the greens out on top of the macaroni to drain.

In the same pot, heat 8 tbsp butter with the flour over medium heat, and stir for 3 minutes. Gradually add the cream and stir until thickened. Mix the parsley, thyme, sage, and rosemary in a small bowl. Stir the cayenne, salt, pepper, and half of the herb mixture into the cream sauce. Mix the collards and macaroni into the cream sauce.

**Chris's modification: I took about 1/4 of the cheese, and mixed it in to melt with the cream sauce**

Spread a layer of the greens and pasta mix in the baking dish, layer with the cheese, repeating with layers until the dish is full. Top with the panko and remaining herbs. Dot the top with the remaining butter. Bake uncovered until golden brown, about 45 minutes.