By Heidi Larsen
Ingredients:
- 1 pound pasta, I used large shells, but you could use elbows, rotini or capatappi
- 9 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 1½ lb. cauliflower, cut into ½-inch florets and roughly chopped into smaller pieces
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 3 cups whole milk
- 3 cups Cache Valley Dairy Colby and Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 2 cup Cache Valley Dairy Medium Cheddar Cheese, shredded
Preparation:
To roast the cauliflower, in the same skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the cauliflower to the pan, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, and add ¼ cup water. Cook for another 5-7 minutes or until the cauliflower is softened and caramelized. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, then add to the pasta.
Once the sauce has thickened, turn off the heat and stir in the cheeses until melted. Pour over the pasta and cauliflower and stir to combine, getting the cheese in all of the nooks and crannys of the pasta. Transfer the mac and cheese mixture back to the skillet and sprinkle with the toasted panko crumbs. Bake in the oven for about 5-10 minutes, tenting the top with aluminum foil if the panko crumbs start to become too browned, and serve.
