Crawfish Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 16-ounce package of cavatappi or elbow macaroni
- 1 quart whole milk or half-and-half
- 1 16-ounce package Velveeta cheese, cubed
- 1 pound frozen crawfish tails, thawed and drained (but not rinsed)
- 2 cups finely grated smoked cheddar cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup finely grated Gruyere cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a large baking dish; set aside. Cook pasta al dente according to package directions; drain well. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring the milk or half-n-half to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in Velveeta; cook, stirring frequently, until melted. Add crawfish tails, remaining cheeses, Creole seasoning, nutmeg and cayenne pepper. Stir constantly just until cheeses are melted. Immediately remove from heat and stir in cooked pasta. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Pour mixture into prepared dish and bake, uncovered, until golden brown and bubbling, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately. Makes 8-10 servings.