Okay, so I wanted to try something new in the kitchen, and I thought, “Why not make mac and cheese in a bread bowl?” It sounded super fun and delicious, so I went for it. Here’s how it all went down.
Get Everything Ready
First things first, I gathered all my ingredients. I grabbed some elbow macaroni, a bunch of different cheeses (cheddar, Monterey Jack, and a little bit of Parmesan because why not?), butter, milk, and a big, round loaf of bread. I also made sure I had some salt, pepper, and a little bit of flour for the cheese sauce.
Cook the Macaroni
I filled a big pot with water, added a good pinch of salt, and brought it to a boil. Once it was bubbling, I dumped in the macaroni. I cooked the macaroni for about 7-8 minutes. It’s important to undercook it a little because it will cook more later with the cheese sauce.
Make the Cheese Sauce
While the pasta was cooking, I started on the cheese sauce. I melted some butter in a saucepan, then whisked in a bit of flour to make a roux. I cooked that for a minute or two, then slowly poured in the milk while whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Once it was all smooth, I turned down the heat and added in the cheeses. I stirred until it was all melted and gooey. Oh, and I seasoned it with salt and pepper to taste.
Hollow Out the Bread
Next up, the bread bowl. I took my big loaf of bread and carefully cut a circle out of the top, like a lid. Then I scooped out the inside, leaving a nice thick wall so the bread wouldn’t get soggy. I kept the bread I scooped out, you know, for dipping later.
Mix and Fill
Once the macaroni was cooked, I drained it and mixed it with the cheese sauce. Everything looked so creamy and delicious. I carefully spooned the cheesy macaroni into the hollowed-out bread bowl. I made sure not to overfill it because I didn’t want a cheesy mess everywhere.
Bake It
I preheated my oven to 350°F (175°C). Then I carefully placed the filled bread bowl on a baking sheet. I baked it for about 15-20 minutes, just until the bread was nice and crispy and the cheese was bubbly and slightly golden on top.
Enjoy
When it came out of the oven, it looked and smelled amazing! I let it cool for a few minutes before digging in. Eating mac and cheese out of a bread bowl was such a fun experience. The bread was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and the mac and cheese was super cheesy and delicious.
- Tip 1: Don’t overcook the macaroni at the start.
- Tip 2: Use a good mix of cheeses for the sauce.
- Tip 3: Don’t hollow out the bread too much, or it might get soggy.
- Tip 4: Save the bread insides for dipping!
It was a bit of work, but totally worth it. If you’re looking for a fun and tasty meal, you should definitely try making mac and cheese in a bread bowl!
