Cooked in a muffin tin, these adorable individual mac-and-cheeselets are a good way to exercise portion control. For this dish you can use Gouda, Gruyere, Monterey Jack, or Swiss cheese for this recipe. They are a perfect portable snack when Christmas shopping (or hiking, if you've got health on your mind the day after Thanksgiving). Just toss a few in a baggie and head out. They taste great at room temp! Indulge in some Thanksgiving turkey leftovers bliss! Makes 12 to 16 mac -and -cheeselets
Course Entree
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30minutes
Cook Time 20minutes
Total Time 50minutes
Servings 12
Calories 585kcal
Author Stephanie Stiavetti
Ingredients
8ounceselbow macaroni
6ouncescooked turkeyshredded (about 1¼ cups)
12ouncesGoudaGruyere, Monterey Jack, or Swiss cheese, shredded, divided
3tablespoonschopped fresh sage
2largeeggs
2cupsmilk
2tablespoonsolive oil
2tablespoonsflour
1/2teaspoonsea salt
Freshly ground black pepperto taste
1cupcranberry sauce or cranberry jam
Instructions
Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain through a colander and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking process. Drain again and set aside.
Once the macaroni has cooled, toss it with the turkey, 5 ounces of cheese, and sage in a bowl and set aside. In another bowl, whisk the eggs and set aside.
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). To prepare the mornay sauce, heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. As soon as the milk starts to steam and tiny bubbles form around the edges of the pan, turn off the heat. Place the olive oil in a medium saucepan and heat over medium flame. Add the flour and stir with a flat-edge wooden paddle just until the roux begins to take on a light brown color, scraping the bottom to prevent burning, about 3 minutes. Slowly add the milk and stir constantly until the sauce thickens enough to evenly coat the back of a spoon—a finger drawn along the back of the spoon should leave a clear swath. Remove from heat and stir in salt and pepper. Add 5 ounces of the remaining cheese to sauce, reserving 2 ounces, and stir until completely melted.
Temper the eggs by slowly pouring ¼ cup of the mornay sauce into the bowl with the eggs while whisking continually. Once combined, add the eggs to the rest of the mornay and whisk together. Carefully fold the pasta into the mornay sauce.
Spoon macaroni and cheese into the cups of a well-greased muffin tin. Two or three good spoonfuls per cheeselet should be fine, and they shouldn’t be too heaping big. Level with the pan is just enough. Top each with some of the remaining Robusto and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the tops are slightly golden brown. Cool for 3 minutes and serve with a few spoonfuls of cranberry jam.