Neil’s Kreamy Krafty Mac N’ Cheese with Sausage (2020 version)
(Yields about 8-9 dinner servings)
Ingredients
- 1 Lb. Orecchiette pasta or Large elbow pasta
- 1 Can Campbell’s Cheddar Cheese condensed soup (10 ¾ OZ.)
- 1/2 soup can of Heavy Cream (about ¾ cup)
- ¼ Cup Monterey Jack cheese
- ¼ Cup Cheddar cheese
- ¼ Cup Queso Quesadilla cheese
- ¼ Cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- ¼ Cup Romano cheese
- ¼ Cup Asiago cheese
- ½ Cup Velveeta cheese (cut into ¾” cubes)
- 4 Oz. Cream Cheese
- 1/2 tsp. Garlic salt
- ¼ tsp. Ground Mustard
- 1Tbs. Unsalted Butter
- Salt and pepper to taste, about; 1/4 tsp. salt ½ tsp. pepper
- 1 Lb. Smoked sausage (cut into ½” disks, then cut into fourths)
Directions
1. Cut sausage into ½ inch thick disks then cut into fourths (like four little “pie pieces” per disk). Heat skillet to medium/High lightly brown sausage. Remove from heat, drain fat and set aside.
2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine condensed soup, cheddar cheese plus the heavy cream. When warmed through, add all other cheeses except the Velveeta and cream cheese, stirring to melt and keep from burning (lower heat if necessary). When all the other cheese has melted, add the Velveeta and cream cheese, stir until melted.
3. Add garlic salt, ground mustard, salt and pepper. Keep cheese sauce on low heat to keep warm while you prepare the pasta (but keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn).
4. Cook pasta to manufacturer’s directions, drain, return pasta to pot and pour in cheese sauce, add sausage, stir and serve!