Boots, sweaters, low humidity, and all things pumpkin are some of my favorite things about fall, y’all, but nothing tops the comfort food that the fall weather brings. One of New Orleans Moms Blog’s favorite brands of pasta – Luxury Pasta – has invited me to create a fall-inspired pasta dish that will face off against another blogger’s recipe on Facebook. Whichever recipe gets the most votes from fans will win. While we were compensated for participating in this contest, we’ve placed coupons for free Luxury pasta in many of our event swag bags and are loyal fans of this product!
That’s where you come in…you can vote for my recipe as often as once a day, and each time you vote, you’ll be entered to win a $250 Visa gift card toward groceries for your own fall feast! Get ready to vote because the contest begins today! To find Luxury Pasta in your area, visit Luxury’s website. We have seen it at Langenstein’s, Winn-Dixie and Rouse’s here in the New Orleans area.
Garlic Parmesan Mac and Cheese
I’m not going to lie, I love macaroni and cheese. Baked macaroni and cheese is my all time favorite side dish. I even love boxed mac and cheese! My regular recipe is fine, but I thought my baked macaroni could use a grown up twist. When I decided to make a more sophisticated baked macaroni, I went to one of my all time favorite cheese dip recipes for inspiration.
Ingredients:
1 box Luxury pasta (any shape; I used twisted elbows)
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2/3 cup parmesan cheese
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
Cook pasta according to directions on box. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees.
For the cheese sauce, melt butter over medium heat in a small pot. Add flour and whisk to form a roux. Slowly add milk, and reduce heat to low. Continue stirring for 1-2 minutes. Add garlic, parmesan and 2 cups of cheddar cheese (leave 1/2 cup for topping). Stir until combined. Pour over noodles and mix well. Transfer to baking dish and top with remaining cheddar cheese. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes.
The verdict?
This recipe was a hit with my whole family, and my kids have been requesting the “fancy macaroni” every day since I first prepared it. Even though it’s as comforting as comfort food gets, I don’t mind giving it to the kids since every 4 ounce portion has a serving of vegetables. And remember, voting begins today!
um, I made something pretty similar on Sunday night. (except mine didn’t have garlic, but lots of breadcrumbs)
Great minds… You’ve got my vote mama! 🙂
Is it just my computer or is the link to vote not working?
It should work – we have tested it a few times but you can also navigate right to Luxury’s Facebook page and do it under the “sweepstakes” tab.
Hey Maggie! For some reason, the link wasn’t working from my mobile phone, but it works from my regular computer. Let me know if you continue to have trouble. 🙂
oh oh- it’s a northshore versus southshore battle!
🙂 sorry- gotta vote for mine! LOL
best wishes- Nicole!
I voted and now Im STARVING ! what time is dinner ??