Tag: mac and cheese

Categories
Side Dish

I’m trying to get you on my side with this combo of classics

This green bean casserole macaroni and cheese is dense and decadent and definitely not healthy, but it would be a great addition to a holiday meal or potluck.
This green bean casserole macaroni and cheese is dense and decadent and definitely not healthy, but it would be a great addition to a holiday meal or potluck.

One of the iconic quotes in the movie “Jurassic Park” comes from Jeff Goldblum’s character, Dr. Ian Malcolm.

“Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether they could,” he says, “they didn’t stop to think if they should.”

That seemed to be the collective sentiment from family and friends this week when I told them what I was going to do with a bunch of leftover green beans I had in the fridge. Namely, I was going to make a hybrid green bean casserole/macaroni and cheese.

Well, the joke’s on them, because this was actually really good, and it was a fabulous way to use up my leftovers.

This recipe comes from the aptly named blog “This is not diet food.” You can find the original post at https://www.thisisnotdietfood.com/mac-and-cheese-green-bean-casserole/. I added a whole lot of extra ingredients and spices into my version below.

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Green Bean Casserole Macaroni and Cheese

This green bean casserole macaroni and cheese is dense and decadent and definitely not healthy, but it would be a great addition to a holiday meal or potluck.
Course Side Dish
Keyword cheese soup, crispy fried onions, fresh garlic, garlic powder, green beans, heavy cream, holiday side, mac and cheese, macaroni, minced garlic, mozzarella, mustard powder, onion powder, potluck dish, sharp cheddar cheese

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces macaroni noodles
  • 10.5 ounce can condensed cheese soup
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons mustard powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 14.5- ounce cans green beans drained
  • 8 ounces mozzarella freshly shredded
  • 8 ounces sharp cheddar freshly shredded
  • 6 ounces crispy fried onions

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a nine-by-13-inch baking dish by spraying it with cooking spray, and set it aside.
  • Cook the macaroni according to the package directions, and drain it.
  • While the pasta cooks, add the cheese soup and heavy cream into a large mixing bowl, and whisk to combine. Whisk in the garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, salt and pepper and minced garlic, as well.
  • Next stir in the cooked pasta and green beans to coat everything in the sauce. Finally, stir in about 3/4 cup of each kind of cheese, and pour all of the mixture into your prepared pan, spreading it out.
  • Sprinkle the rest of the cheese evenly over the top, and finish off with the crispy onions.
  • Cover the pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another five to 10 minutes or until the onions are browned and the cheese is melted to your liking.
  • Let the casserole rest on the counter for about five minutes before serving.

If you wanted to make this ahead of time to pop in the oven later, I’d recommend keeping the crispy onions off until you’re ready to actually heat it. I ended up freezing half of my casserole, so I’ll be interested to see how it does when I reheat it.

This is a decadent, heavy dish. It’s perfect for a holiday get together, a potluck or any meal where you’re not going to be stuck with all the leftovers, because it is definitely not good for you, even though the flavor profile is nostalgic and a true comfort food.

So, at the end of the day, should you make a combination of two of the heaviest side dishes on the planet? Probably not. But you certainly can, it’s delicious and it won’t lead to rampaging dinosaurs, so why not?

This piece first appeared in print Nov. 27, 2025.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Main Dish

Mac and cheese a ‘grate’ way to eat your veggies

Brussels sprouts go from being a health food to a roasty compliment to melty rich cheeses in this decadent mac and cheese recipe.
Brussels sprouts go from being a health food to a roasty compliment to melty rich cheeses in this decadent mac and cheese recipe.

I’ve been going through a strange Brussels sprouts obsession lately.

I’m sure there’s something in my Pinterest algorithm that is driving that obsession, but honestly, I’m not mad at it.

Unfortunately, while it might be adding a few extra vitamins to my system, the overall effect of the recipe I chose to try this week is decidedly not health food—unless you count it as being good for the soul.

This comes from Grace Elkus on the food blog “The Kitchn.” You can find the original post at https://www.thekitchn.com/sheet-pan-mac-cheese-brussels-sprouts-23215360. I added spices and pasta in my version.

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Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese

Brussels sprouts go from being a health food to a roasty compliment to melty rich cheeses in this decadent mac and cheese recipe.
Course Main Course
Keyword Brussels sprouts, cayenne, fresh garlic, garlic powder, gruyere, mac and cheese, mustard powder, panko, parmesan cheese, sharp white cheddar, sheet pan meal

Ingredients

  • about 1 pound Brussels sprouts halved
  • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 16 ounces cavatappi pasta
  • 4 ounces Gruyere cheese shredded by hand
  • 4 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese shredded by hand
  • 1 ounce parmesan cheese shredded by hand
  • 6 tablespoons butter divided
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 rounded teaspoon ground mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 3 cups milk I used 1 percent
  • 1/2 cup panko

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  • Prepare a large, rimmed baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil. Spread the Brussels sprouts onto the sheet, and drizzle them with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix them with a spoon or your hands to coat them, and then, being sure to spread them out as much as possible, place the sheet in the oven and let the sprouts roast for about 15 minutes, stirring halfway through, until they are fork tender. When they are done, remove them from the oven, and set them aside.
  • While the sprouts roast, prepare the cavatappi in a large pot or Dutch oven, according to package instructions, and shred the cheeses. (You can combine the Gruyere and white cheddar while you do this, but keep the parmesan separate.)
  • When the pasta is done, drain it and set it aside.
  • Return the empty pot to the stove over medium heat and add five tablespoons of the butter. Once it is melted, whisk in the flour, garlic powder, ground mustard and cayenne. Continue to whisk it constantly until the mixture starts to foam a bit. As you whisk, slowly pour in the milk and continue whisking until everything is dissolved into the liquid.
  • Turn the heat up just a smidgeon and continue whisking regularly so the milk doesn’t scald, and let the mixture come up to a simmer (that moment just before it’s going to start boiling). Reduce the heat back down to low, still whisking regularly, and let the mixture reduce just a bit. It’s ready when it coats the back of a spoon. (This took me somewhere around 7 or 8 minutes.)
  • Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the Gruyere and white cheddar, mixing until it is completely melted. Add some salt and pepper, to taste. Once the sauce is flavored to your liking, stir in the pasta and sprouts, coating everything.
  • Dump everything onto the baking sheet you used for the sprouts, and spread it out evenly.
  • Turn the broiler in your oven to high.
  • Add the last tablespoon of butter to a microwave-safe bowl. Melt the butter in the microwave, and then stir in the parmesan and panko until everything is well combined. Sprinkle the panko mixture evenly over the top of the mac and cheese, and place the pan in the oven for a couple minutes, keeping a close eye on it, until the panko is lightly browned.
  • Serve immediately.

This was decadent and delicious. Having the roasted sprouts mixed in with the rich cheeses elevated this far above normal mac and cheese, and I thought it looked really pretty, too.

It made a lot of food, and it did reheat well for leftovers later, too, which I was excited about.

I don’t think this quite cured my Brussels sprouts obsession. In fact, I may have started a new mac and cheese obsession instead.

I guess you can’t win them all.

This piece first appeared in print March 6, 2025.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

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