Mac and Cheese have always been a comfort food in our family and we've tried many variations of it. The combination of cheeses in a rich creamy sauce, thinking about it makes my mouth water. What makes our Mac and Cheese the ultimate adult comfort food? It's the special ingredient that takes it to another level. Our version of Mac and Cheese is infused with Balance CBD Drops making it truly a comfort food by definition. Secret Cooking Tips • Pasta - cook the pasta less than you normally would because it will continue to cook in the oven. You don't want mushy pasta. • Liquids - use at room temperature if possible. Cold liquids take longer to thicken than warmer ones. Set your milk and a half and half out while the pasta is boiling. • Cheese - you can use any kind of cheese! Cheddar, Gruyere, Mozzarella, Gouda, Smoked Gouda, Swiss, Colby Jack, etc... Whatever cheese you use, buy it in a block and grate your own. The pre-shredded cheeses in the bag contain a starchy substance that keeps the cheeses from clumping, which prohibits them from melting well. If you're short on time the bagged cheese still makes a delicious dish. Just make sure you mix well. Let's begin! INGREDIENTS 1 lb. dried elbow pasta 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1/2 cup all-purpose flour Balance CBD Drops* 1 1/2 cups whole milk 2 1/2 cups half and half 4 cups of grated sharp cheddar cheese - divided 2 cups of grated Gruyere cheese - divided 1/2 Tbsp. salt 1/2 tsp. black pepper 1/4 tsp. paprika INSTRUCTIONS 1. Preheat the oven to 325 F and grease a 3 qt baking dish (9x13). If you want to make individual sizes, use a coffee mug. 2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook dried pasta for 1 minute less than the package directs for al dente. Drain and drizzle with a bit of olive oil to keep it from sticking. 3. Grate cheeses while waiting for water to boil. Toss the grated cheeses together to mix, then divide them into three piles. Approximately 3 cups for the sauce, 1 1/2 cups for the pasta, and 1 1/2 cups for the topping. 4. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add Balance CBD Drops*. Sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine. Slowly pour in about 2 cups of the milk and half and half, whisking constantly until smooth. Slowly pour the remaining milk and half and a half until fully combined. 5. Continue whisking until it thickens to a thinned-out condensed soup. 6. Remove from heat and stir in spices and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese, stirring until it melts. Stir in the rest of the cheese until fully melted and smooth. 7. In a large mixing bowl, combine drain pasta mixture into the cheese sauce, stirring until fully combined. 8. Sprinkle the top with the last 1 1/2 cups of cheese and bake for 15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and light golden brown. • For a crunchier top, broil at the end of baking for approximately 2-5 minutes until golden brown and crunchy. *The amount of Balance CBD Drops will depend on the amount of MGs you want. This recipe is for 10 servings. If you use the Balance 500mg oil, each full pull is a serving of 12.5mg. For everyone to receive a serving, you would add 10 full pipettes of CBD oil into the recipe totaling 125mg. If you want higher MGs per serving use the Balance 1000mg. Hope that helps.
Enjoy!