Cougar Gold Macarsoni and Cheese

I’ve had a tin of Cougar Gold cheese sitting in my refrigerator since this summer when my oldest son spent a few days in Pullman, Washington playing baseball over the summer. Far and away our favorite cheese, I’ve been waiting for just the right reason to crack open the tin.

A giant pan of homemade macaroni and cheese made with Cougar Gold cheese as the (accidental) star of the Thanksgiving spread seems like the perfect reason. This recipe makes the most decadent, delicious, comforting pan of Mac and cheese and I can pretty well guarantee, if you make this for Thanksgiving, its going to be a required dish every year going forward.

If you’ve never had Cougar Gold cheese, its the perfect combination of sharp white cheddar cheese with the creamiest texture. It crumbles easily, making it ideal for charcuterie boards and Mac and cheese alike (no shredding!).

I know you can find Cougar Gold locally, you certainly don’t have to make a trip to Pullman to get your hands on some. Try the Ship Shop, local grocery stores like Wrays or Johnson Orchards on Summitview. If you can’t find Cougar Gold, don’t despair. Your favorite white cheddar will be a lovely stand in. Smoked gouda or fontina cheese are fantastic alternatives as well.

My kids all crowded around the oven waiting for me to pull the pan out. When they heard the Mac and cheese was off limits until dinner, they wandered away grumbling. When I turned my back for just a few minutes and came back to a big empty hole in my pan…the teen boys didn’t even attempt to act guilty for getting into it, openly blaming each other for who ate it. I couldn’t really be mad though, this is the kind of dish where you stand at the kitchen counter and eat bites straight from the pan, swearing to yourself you’ll just have one more bite only to realize the pan is basically demolished.

Cougar Gold Macaroni and Cheese

• 1 pound shell pasta

• 6 slices center cut bacon, diced

• 2 tablespoons salted butter

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 medium onion, minced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/4 cup all purpose flour

• 3 cups 2 percent milk

• 2 cups crumbled Cougar Gold Cheese

• 1 bay leaf

• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/8 cayenne powder

• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 teaspoon dried parsley

• 1 cup panko bread crumbs

• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

• Kosher salt and black pepper

Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking dish lightly with cooking spray. Set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.

While the water heats up, slice the bacon into bite-size pieces. Cook the bacon over medium heat in a sauté pan until the bacon is cooked through and starting crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer bacon pieces to a paper towel lined plate. Set aside for later.

When the salted water boils, add the pasta to the pot and stir occasionally, cooking until al dente, about six minutes. You want the pasta to still have a bit of ‘chew’ or firmness to the noodle because you will be baking the dish in the oven for a bit. Drain the water from the pasta and set the noodles aside.

In a pot, combine one tablespoon butter with one tablespoon olive oil. Add the onion to the pot and stirring often, allow the onion to cook down until fragrant and translucent. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to the onion. Once the onion is translucent, add the garlic and cook an additional minute. Stir in the flour, scraping the bottom of the pot to make sure all the flour absorbs into the onion and garlic. Pour in the milk, reducing the heat to a high simmer. Stir constantly, watching closely until the sauce thickens and reduces by about a third.

Reduce the heat again to a low simmer and stir in the Cougar Gold cheese. Add the bay leaf, pinch of nutmeg, cayenne, smoked paprika, dried thyme and dried parsley. Make sure to add a pinch of Kosher salt and black pepper to the cheese sauce. Stir to combine.

Add the cooked pasta and bacon to the cheese sauce and stir gently to combine. Transfer to the prepared baking dish, making on even layer of the pasta. Sprinkle the pasta with the panko bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. Dot the bread crumbs with the remaining tablespoon of butter. Bake in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes until the bread crumbs begin to lightly toast and the edges of the dish begin to bubble.

Watching very closely, turn the oven to broil and crack the door to the oven open. Broil the pasta for a minute or two so that the bread crumbs turn toasty and golden brown. This happens very very fast, so don’t walk away! Once the bread crumbs are golden brown, remove from the oven and allow to cool for about five minutes before serving.