Sriracha Mac & Cheese

Remember when mac and cheese only came one way? Out of a box. And now look how far we've come. Don't make me say it... mac and cheese started from the bottom, now it's here. Almost any restaurant you walk in to has their version of mac and cheese. Whether it's baked with bread crumbs, mixed with green chiles, fried into balls, or tossed with like 8 different cheeses. This is my salute to culinary creativity that has brought mac and cheese all this way. Plus I just really love Sriracha. I put a twist on my normal macaroni by switching up the noodle shape, adding some green onions, bread crumbs, and the star of the show, hot sauce. You can make this as spicy or as mild as you want

Sriracha Mac & Cheese
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. whole wheat pasta noodles
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp. flour
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1 small or 1/2 large jalapeño, seeds removed and minced
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 tsp. Sriracha hot sauce (1 tsp. if you prefer mild), plus more for drizzle
• 3 cups shredded white cheddar cheese (I used raw milk white cheddar cheese)
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta noodles according to the package directions until al dente. They will continue to cook and soften in the oven. Drain and set aside. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until well incorporated and beginning to smell slightly nutty. Slowly whisk the milk in, 1 cup at a time. Allow the milk mixture to simmer and thicken, about 10 minutes. Add in the garlic powder, jalapeño, and Sriracha. 

Once the mixture is thickened, remove from the heat and add the shredded cheese, 1 cup at a time, mixing and melting the cheese before the next addition. Once all of the cheese is melted into the sauce, mix the cooked noodles with the sauce and pour into a large casserole dish. Sprinkle the sliced green onions on top, saving a little bit for garnish.

Mix the bread crumbs and the melted butter together and sprinkle over the mac and cheese. Cook for 15-30 minutes until browned and bubbly.

To serve, sprinkle the remaining green onions on top and drizzle with Sriracha.