I have a Mac & cheese-based revelation for what to make for dinner tonight.
First, I have to explain the m&c recipe I normally use, which is a copycat of a Mac & cheese that’s kind of locally famous, made by the Clarkston Union restaurant group. This m&c was featured on an episode of ‘Diners, Drive-ins and Dives’ that Kid Rock guest-hosted on. The copycat version I make is a huge hit with my family.
Here’s how to make it: dice up some onion and garlic fine. Cook it with 4 tablespoons of butter, then add 4 tablespoons of flour to make a roux. Add 2 to 3 cups of warmed milk and cream. Stir in 1 cup each of shredded sharp cheddar and grated Parmesan. Add pepper, a little salt and a dash of nutmeg. Let mixture cool.
Boil a box of penne pasta noodles to al dente or almost al dente. Mix with cheese sauce. Add to a pan large enough to hold everything in 2 layers. After layer 1 put more cheese on top. Slices of Michigan Pinconning are good if you have them, or white cheddar. Add second layer. Add more cheese on top, maybe more sharp cheddar. Add Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) on top of everything. Bake at 425 for 20-30 minutes, until sauce is bubbling and panko is golden brown.
So that’s the normal recipe. Today I’m planning to make some chicken stock from scratch, and was wondering what to make from the stock for dinner. Then I thought of the Shameful Culinary thread and eureka! I think I am going to make Mac & Cheese & Chicken (MCC). Instead of the milk and cream in the recipe above, I’ll add the good from-scratch bone broth I’m making, and mix in some leftover chicken from a whole chicken I’m using to make the stock. All else will be the same as the above recipe.
Is this a good idea? Or will it be a waste of otherwise good ingredients? I feel like it’s not too crazy— roux plus chicken stock is what I do to make a gumbo, but the addition of cheese is a bit of a wildcard. Feel free to talk me out of this in the next several hours if this is crazy talk.