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Thanksgiving Mac and Cheese

Servings 8

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Cavatappi pasta
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ¼ cups all purpose flour
  • 3 cups warm milk prefer whole milk
  • 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • 1 ½ cups fontina cheese shredded (I prefer to use BelGioioso)
  • ¾ cups brie cubed without the rind
  • 2 cups cooked turkey shredded
  • 2 cups fresh cranberries
  • Italian breadcrumbs
  • Kosher salt
  • Black pepper

Instructions

  1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

  2.  Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta al dente (Tip: if the box says 6-8 minutes for al dente cook it exactly for 6 minutes!). Drain the pasta in a colander and run cold water through it to stop it from cooking any further.

  3.  Place the cranberries in a small pot and fill with water just until they’re submerged. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the cranberries begin to soften. Drain and set aside.

  4.  In a large pot (I prefer to use a Dutch oven/enameled pot), melt the butter on medium-

  5. low heat. Add in the flour and whisk until combined, about one minute.
  6. Slowly whisk in the milk a little at a time. Add in the cheeses about a large handful at a time, whisking constantly to make sure it combines. Season with salt and pepper (about 2 large pinches of salt and one pinch of
  7. pepper).
  8. Add in the pasta, turkey and cranberries. When combined fully, transfer the mixture to either a large casserole dish or individual ramekins.
  9.  Sprinkle some breadcrumbs over the top. Place casserole or ramekins in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the breadcrumbs turn golden brown.

  10. ​If your oven has a broiler, I recommend switching to broil for the last 5 minutes to get a nice browned top. Remove, let cool for 2-3 minutes and serve!