Mac n Cheese for a Cocktail Party. yup

I sort of feel like I could throw an party in 14 minutes without any previous planning.  I keep my kitchen stocked always, and my freezer usually contains some sort of ‘ready to oven’ homemade something.  And I understand that I’m unique in that, but I also don’t think you need to spend a ton of money to throw a party.  That’s my motto for everything… thus the point of this here blog even being a thing in the first place.  I think you spend the most money on the booze, look for meat sales at your grocery stores in the weeks leading up to the party and save what you can there (meat is the most expensive food item), and then the rest of the food is just creative ways of turning inexpensive, everyday ingredients into something special and awesome.

Everyday Champagne.

Duh.

And I happen to believe that you should always entertain with familiar foods.  Have a variety of things, yes.  But make sure most of it is something your guests will recognize in some way, so they feel more comfortable…and in turn, have a better time.

Don’t you want your guests to be relaxed at your party? Of course!  And who isn’t comfortable and relaxed with Macaroni and Cheese?

Nobody I wanna know.

I’ve made these for several of my parties in the past- both kid and adult ones, and they are always a huge hit.  And they are just so easy to do… all they are, is mac and cheese baked into mini muffin tins, so then they become bite sized and cocktail party appropriate.  And you can customize them however you’d like… whether you make the whole batch something different like spinach mac n cheese, or bacon, or ham, or tomato, or change the ethnicity completely, etc…. or you add things into a few of the muffin tins, creating a variety of different flavors.  I personally like to keep it simple with the recipe itself, and then put out some dijon and tomato jam for dipping, and some finely chopped crispy bacon, caramelized onions, chives, etc. for toppers if anyone desires.

They are delicious, comforting, and beautifully simple.

And isn’t that the whole idea?

Warning- I have witnessed many a party go-er pop these suckers into their mouths like they’re candy  So… be mindful of your amount… and also your guest list 😉

FETTUCCINI AND CHEESE BITES

This is not where I will give you a macaroni and cheese recipe.  (Sorry?)  I make mine without measuring and always have, and somehow manage to get the amounts precise every single time for the vessel in which I’m serving.  It’s one of those things I dare not mess with or question, in fear I may lose my super cheese power.  But you’re just making a mac and cheese recipe from a 1 lb. box of pasta.  I used fettuccini here, because I happened to have an abundance of fettuccini for an undefined reason.  And I broke all the chef rules by also breaking the noodles into small pieces before I boiled them.  I like how they look like little nests, but you use whatever shape you desire here.

Then all you’re doing is taking the finished macaroni and cheese, right when you would either normally serve it in bowls (if you’re a stovetop mac and cheese person), or spread in a buttered dish and sprinkle with crunchy things (if you’re a baked mac n cheese person), (I’m the latter, by the way), and just spooning it into the greased cups of about 3 mini muffin tins.

Then you’re sprinkling the tops with more shredded cheese, (and breadcrumbs if you’d like).

Then you’re baking them at 375 until golden brown, for about 15-20 minutes.

Then you allow them to cool a bit and serve them warm, or you’re cooling them all the way to freeze in zip freezer bags until the party.

And that is precisely what I did today.  So I now have yet another item crossed off my party to-do list.

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Thanks for reading, ya’ll!  Happy Saturday.  Stay warm! xo