For those who are looking to compare my version with the original, here are the differences: I used a red skinned yellow fleshed potato, about 6 oz. of whole wheat penne, and Bone Dust seasoning instead of Old Bay (I’m not going to spend $9 on a large container if I’m not sure I’ll ever use it again). I’ve got the cookbook Hot, Sticky and on Fire book by Ted Reader, where the Bone Dust recipe comes from. Unfortunately, it’s only available in Canada or through Amazon.ca. I got my copy as a gift several years ago, and we love many of the recipes in it.

Anyway, my version of the recipe can be found after the jump.

Corn Chowder Mac and Cheese

Makes 4 servings plus around 2 servings of leftovers

Salt and black pepper
6 oz whole wheat penne
2 cups frozen corn kernals
extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
1/4 lb. bacon, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 red skinned yellow fleshed potato, diced into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces
2 tbsp. Bone Dust (or your favorite bbq dry rub)
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 red chile pepper, such as fresno, seeded and chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped into 1/4-inch cubes
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup minced garlic (what can I say, we love garlic)
1/2 tsp dried thyme
3 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
2 cups whole milk
Few grates fresh nutmeg (I used about 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg)
1 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp yellow cheddar cheese

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook to al dente. Drain and return to the pot.

While water is boiling and pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil and the bacon and cook until crisp. Add the corn, potato and Bone Dust to the skillet and brown for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the celery, chile pepper, bell pepper, onion, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add butter to the skillet and stir it into the veggie mixture until it melts. Add in the flour, then stir until it’s all mixed in. Add the milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook until the sauce coats a spoon thickly; lower the heat to low. Stir in the parmigiano-reggiano and the cheddar until it’s all melted.

Add the pasta to the large skillet and stir together. Serve immediately.

Slow Cooker Mac & Cheese

2 (11 ounce) cans condensed Cheddar cheese soup
2 3/4 cups water
1 (16 ounce) package uncooked shell pasta
1/2 pound smoked sausage, sliced into rounds
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp dried onion flakes
1 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded Italian blend cheese
salt and black pepper to taste

Whisk the condensed soup and water together in a slow cooker until smooth. Add the shell pasta, sausage, smoked paprika, garlic powder and onion flakes. Stir well. Set the slow cooker to HIGH for 1 hour, then reduce to LOW for 2 hours, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.

When the pasta is tender, stir in the sour cream and cheese until the cheese is melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Let rest 15 minutes before serving.

We liked this dish, and while the pastrami added a nice touch to it, we thought it tasted like something was missing. I didn’t use the New York cheddar as the recipe called for, as I had regular sharp cheddar in the fridge. Or maybe it was the fact it didn’t have the rye bread cumbs on it. We don’t usually eat rye bread, and I didn’t want to buy a loaf for just three slices. The next time I make this dish I will get the New York cheddar. If that doesn’t work, then I’ll start tweaking the recipe.

Budget Friendly New York Deli-Style Mac & Cheese

 
Serves 6

1 pound elbow macaroni
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons butter, plus additional for buttering toast
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1/4 cup spicy deli mustard
2 cups NY aged sharp cheddar, grated
1/3 pound deli pastrami, roughly chopped
3 slices rye toast, crumbled or coarsely chopped in a food processor

Pre-heat oven to 400°F.

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water, to just shy of al dente. Make sure to reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid before you drain the pasta.

While the pasta is cooking, heat a medium-size skillet over medium heat and add the butter. When the butter melts, add flour and cook about a minute. Whisk in milk reserved starchy water and spicy mustard, and bring up to a bubble. Stir in the cheese in a figure-eight motion, reserving enough to sprinkle on the top of the casserole, until it’s all melted. Fold in the pastrami and season with salt and pepper to taste.

When the pasta is done, drain it well and combine with sauce. Pour into baking dish and top with reserved cheese and crumbled rye toast. Place in oven until cheese is brown and bubbling.

Latin Mac & Cheese

 
Serves 4-6

Ingredients

* 1 pound whole wheat elbow pasta
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 3 tablespoons flour
* 1 cup chicken stock
* 2 cups milk
* 1/4 cup hot sauce
* 1/4 cup yellow mustard
* 3 cups Swiss or Gruyere cheese, shredded, plus additional for topping
* 1/2 cup pickles, chopped
* 1 lb cooked Latin-style pork shoulder, chopped (around 1/4″ sized pieces)
* A handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped

Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring it up to a boil to cook the pasta. Once at a boil, add some salt and the pasta and cook it until al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, heat a large pot over medium heat and add the butter. When the butter melts, add the flour, stir until it’s all mixed together and smooth, and cook about a minute. Whisk in stock, milk, hot sauce and yellow mustard, and bring up to a bubble. Stir in the cheese in a figure-eight motion, reserving enough to sprinkle on the top of the casserole, until it’s all melted. Fold in the pickles and ham, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

When the pasta is done, drain it well and combine with sauce.

Serve with a nice salad.