Taste of Tuesday: Tuscan Macaroni & Cheese Bake

This should be subtitled, "Or, the best and last Mac & Cheese you'll ever eat."

Okay, so that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but not much. This is such good stuff. It's great winter-time food. The first time I took a bite, I thought I was in heaven. It was not only hot out of the oven, but it tasted warm. Does that make sense? It had a warm comforting taste to it. That's why I say it's great winter-time food -- major comfort food here.

I originally found the recipe over at My Kitchen Cafe. I have only a couple of alterations/notes on it. (1) It calls for a cup (a whole cup!) of olives. I'm not particularly fond of olives, so I just used one can, which is probably somewhere between 1/3 cup and 1/2 cup. (2) The recipe calls for 12 ounce of sausage. I only found 14 ounce packages. (3) I used two tomatoes on top, to cover the whole thing. (4) The recipe calls for 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, and I agree with the author's note on it -- don't be afraid of it. I think the cayenne is what gives the warm flavor illusion, so don't be stingy with it.


Tuscan Macaroni and Cheese Bake

12 ounces precooked smoked chicken (or turkey) sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4 inch thick (you can substitute the same amount of Italian sausage - just cook and drain it)
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
8 ounces cream cheese, cubed and softened
1 cup sliced olives
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon dried sage
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (don't be afraid of this! It won't make it spicy, I promise)
1 ½ cups milk
1 tomato, sliced thinly
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Cook elbow macaroni according to package directions but undercook the pasta by 1-2 minutes since it will continue baking in the oven. In a large bowl, combine the sausage, cooked pasta, cream cheese, olives, and mozzarella cheese. In a small bowl, mix flour and spices together.

In a medium saucepan melt the butter, then whisk in flour and spices. Allow the flour/butter mixture to cook without browning for about 30 seconds while whisking/stirring. Slowly add the milk and stir until slightly thickened, this may take about 5-6 minutes. Stir constantly to prevent scorching on the bottom of the pan. When slightly thickened, pour the milk mixture over pasta mixture and mix well.

Pour into an 11X7-inch (or circular) lightly greased casserole dish. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove cover and add tomato slices on top then sprinkle parmesan cheese over and bake uncovered for 10 minutes more. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.

So, what are you having for dinner tonight?