Gourmet Mac and Cheese Appetizer Muffins (Gluten Free!)
For the first time in several years I am playing Bunco again. I only know one of the ladies, so it will be a great opportunity to meet some people. Doesn’t hurt that I won….a whole $15!!! Plus, I think it is going to a fun group. I had to make an appetizer to bring with me, so I made some nice comfort food, namely mac
and cheese. These could be rolled into balls, chilled and fried, also. You can’t tell this quinoa macaroni from the original, but there are alternatives such as brown rice macaroni. I just like the quinoa better. The muffins could actually be served either as a side dish or an appetizer, or a snack for your children. You could definitely use this recipe for a pan of mac and cheese too.
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon melted butter, plus more for baking dishes
1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
8 ounces grated sharp Cheddar cheese
4 ounces grated Fontina
4 ounces shredded Parmesan, plus 1/4 cup for topping
8 ounces elbow macaroni
1 1/4 cups whole milk (or for creamier use half of whipping cream and half of water)
8 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes.
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/8 tsp nutmeg
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Butter two muffin tins for a dozen muffins each.
3. In a small bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon melted butter with breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan and set aside.
4. Cook macaroni until al dente, In a large pot of boiling salted water, according to package instructions; drain.
5. In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring milk to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; add cubed cream cheese and stir until melted, about 2 minutes.
6. Gradually stir in remaining cheeses until melted, about 5 minutes.
7. Add cooked pasta, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper; and nutmeg and stir to combine.
8. Divide the mixture into muffins tins and bake until bubbling, about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven; sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture. Bake until golden, about 8 minutes more.
Commentary: Islam’s atrocities for the past few days..
| 2015.02.05 (Damascus, Syria) – The Army of Islam sends rockets into mainly Christian neighborhoods, killing ten residents. |
| 2015.02.04 (Beni, DRC) – Seven women are among twenty-one villagers hacked to death by ADF-NALU. |
| 2015.02.03 (Mabrook, Libya) – Islamists storm an oilfield and slit the throats of thirteen employees. |
| 2015.02.03 (Raqqa, Syria) – The caliphate releases a video showing a captured Jordanian pilot being burned alive in a cage. |
| 2015.02.03 (Alexandria, Egypt) – A civilian is killed – and a child injured – by an Islamist bomb at a checkpoint. |
| 2015.02.02 (Raqqa, Syria) – Another gay man is thrown from a building by Sharia activists. |