Mac and Cheese

Cup of Yum
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9x13 pan.
2. Fill a large saucepan with water, and bring to a boil. Cook 1 pound elbow macaroni until al dente, according to the package directions. Drain well and pour noodles into the prepared 9x13 pan.
3. Meanwhile, in another large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup salted butter over medium heat. Whisk in 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, 1 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard, and 1 1/2 teaspoon onion powderSlowly whisk in 4 cups milk until smooth. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, for 3-5 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken.
4. Reduce heat to low, and whisk in 2 tablespoons Frank's RedHot Cayenne Pepper Sauce and 8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese until the cheese melts. Pour cheese sauce over pasta in the prepared 9x13 pan and stir to coat.
5. Bake, uncovered, in the 400℉ oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and et it cool at room temperature for 1 hour, then put it in the fridge still in the 9×13 pan and cool until completely solid, about 4 hours.

Buns

1. Use a cup, biscuit cutter, or round cookie cutter to cut out circles in the macaroni and cheese directly in the 9x13 pan. You should be able to get 6 or 8 circles of the mac and cheese, depending on how large you are making your buns. Slice each circle in half lengthwise to create two buns. Be careful and keep them cold so they don’t fall apart.
2. Pour about 2 cups vegetable oil into a large skillet and heat to 350 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Monitor the temperature and adjust the heat level as necessary to maintain a consistent temperature.
3. In a shallow bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups plain bread crumbs1 teaspoon dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. In another shallow bowl, whisk 4 large eggs until well combined and starting to foam.
4. Carefully dip each bun half into the egg batter to coat, then into the bread crumble mixture to coat. Place directly into the heated oil to fry.
5. Fry until golden brown, flipping half way through, approximately 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate or wire rack to drain.
6. Use in place of standard bread buns for burgers with all of your favorite toppings. Sauteed onions and guacamole make for a killer mac and cheese burger.