I know. I know. Yet another macaroni and cheese post. There’s about a gazillion and one of them out there.
I guess that means a lot of folks like their mac and cheese. I’m one of them.. There’s nothing like a heaping serving of macaroni and cheese- it’s one of my many guilty pleasures. It’s probably my favorite dish from since I was little girl. I admit it, I like it all. The blue box, the shells and velveeta “cheese,” stove top, make a rue, top with bread crumbs…. elbows, shells, spirals, spaghetti. I don’t care. If it’s cheese and macaroni, I’m there! Are you with me?
A few years back, Gary surprised me with a trip to the Bahamas. What a pleasant surprise! I couldn’t wait to escape the cold of Upstate, NY and soak up some serious Vitamin D on the white sandy beaches. That is totally my thing! Some people find it weird, but when I travel, I like to do…. basically nothing. I’ve never felt the need to be on the move every second of a vacay. The Bahamas is the perfect place to do just that. On a tangent, it’s -4 actual outside temperature as I write this. This high will be a wopping 4! I could rrrreeeeaaaallllyyyy use some Bahamas right this minute. Sigh. I’ll have to settle for the next best thing…
You may find it unbelievable but Bahamians eat a lot of seafood 😉 Particularly, a lot of conch (pronounced conk)….Conch prepared every way imaginable. Other than the beautiful conch shells, I’m not a fan. I really don’t eat much that swims. It’s a smell thing for me. I know. Yet another weird thing about myself I’ve shared. For those not familiar with a conch, here’s a queen conch shell. You probably recognize this. Related to snails, there’s a slimy, creature with a large foot that lives in there, and apparently tastes pretty good. I’ll take your word on that one.
Conch aside, I discovered Bahamians love their mac and cheese! What? Now we’re talkin’! And I ate Bahamian macaroni and cheese every day I was there. It was fantastic! It’s a little different from the mac and cheese I was use to. It’s more dense. It’s delicious and quite simple to make.
One thing I gotta mention. I hate mushy macaroni. It’s a pet peeve of mine. Since the macaroni goes into the oven with liquid, it’s going to cook more. Therefore, I cook my macaroni 3 minutes less than what the package says will make al dente.
The results? Amazing, died and went to heaven taste and texture. I’m doing a happy dance and so glad you can’t see me!
And while you’re here. Do you like hummus? If you do, don’t forget to check out our free hummus ebook with 15 tasty, easy recipes, all with photographs. You save the book to your computer, then you can print it or just have an easy go to spot if you want to make hummus. The only thing we ask in exchange is that you like us on facebook.
Bahamian Macaroni and Cheese
Author:Jenn @ The Spice Kit Recipes
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Ingredients
- 1 (16 oz.) package elbow macaroni
- 2 (12 oz.) cans evaporated milk
- 1½ lbs. or 3 (8 oz.) packages, or 6 cups cheddar cheese, grated, divided
- 2 Tbsps. onion, finely minced
- 2 Tbsps. green bell pepper, finely minced
- 1 habanero pepper, seeded, deveigned, finely minced
- 3 eggs, beaten
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. paprika for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Bring a pot of water to a high boil. Cook the macaronis according to package instructions for al dente minus 3 minutes. I cooked mine 3 minutes. The package said 6 to reach al dente.
- Meanwhile, mince the onion, bell pepper, and habanero pepper. Heat the evaporated milk in a sauce pan on medium heat for about 5 minutes. You don't want to boil it, just heat it.
- Drain the macaroni and return them to the pot. Stir in the warm milk, onions, peppers, and ½ the cheese.
- Allow to cool 2 minutes.
- Transfer macaroni to a 9 x 13 inch baking pan and pour the beaten eggs on top. Use a fork or spoon to work them into the macaronis a little. You don't need to stir them, just distribute them and let them settle in a bit.
- Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- Sprinkle with paprika.
- Bake 35-40 minutes.
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- Reuben Macaroni and Cheese
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