Ingredients:
2 1 pint sized Whipping Creams
1 1/2 cups Unsweetened Coconut milk
1 package Medium pasta shells
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup butter
1 cup Plain Bread Crumbs
2 packages of Sharp Cheddar
2 packages of Mild Cheddar
2 packages of Mozzarella
1 package of Parmesan
Aluminum Foil
1 large glass bowl
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit
Line two round 9 inch pans with aluminum foil
1) In a large sauce pan add 1/4 cup of butter. Turn the burner on medium heat and allow the butter to melt. Once the butter has melted completely whisk in the flour. Allow this to simmer for two minutes on medium heat.
2) After the two minutes are up, begin to whisk in the cream and 1/2 cup of the unsweetened coconut milk. Here you can also add your salt, pepper, or whatever seasonings you would like to incorporate. (I like to add a dash of chili powder or ground mustard from time to time) You do not have to use whipping cream btw, I just find that it adds a nice creaminess to the cheese sauce. You may substitute the whipping cream for whole milk or any type of cream substitute.
3) Take the sauce off of the burner or turn the heat down and begin to whisk in your cheese a little at a time. I add the following portions of cheese to my sauce:1/2 of the package of Parmesan, 1 package of Mozzarella, 1 packages of Sharp cheddar, and 1/2 package of Mild cheddar. This step takes a little bit of time. Don’t rush this step by turning up the burner, you risk the chance of burning the cheese and ruining your creamy sauce. Remember you can always grate your own cheese. I don’t because I usually don’t have the time to do so but I hear it improves the taste.
4) Once you have created your sauce, start preparing your noodles. My husband loves pasta shells so we usually go with those. I cut the cook time given on the box by about half. In this case, I boil my noodles for about 4 minutes. After the 4 minutes, I get them into a colander as soon as possible and rinse them with cool water to stop them from over cooking. You want to cook the pasta like this because it will cook while it is in the oven and you don’t want mushy over cooked noodles (YUCK!)
5) Mix your noodles and the cheese sauce together in a large bowl or pot. All of your noodles should be covered in sauce. Next add the rest of your Sharp cheddar, 1/2 package of Mild cheddar, the remainder of your Parmesan, and 1/2 package of Mozzarella to the pot or bowl and stir. After you have added your cheese, add about one cup of unsweetened coconut milk. This step is critical because you want to make sure your sauce is sort of loose so that you noodles can continue cooking in the oven without drying up the mac and cheese.
6) Split the cheese and noodle mixture into the two pans. Mix the remainder of the cheese with about 1/2 cups of bread crumbs (more or less if you like) and spread this along the top.
7) Bake in the over for about 25-30 minutes
8) Once you take it out the oven allow it to set for 10 minutes and then enjoy!
