I’m all for convenience, but some things are flat-out worth the effort. Like this recipe, which combines two of my favorite hobbies – homebrewing and cheesemaking. Sure…you could make mac n’ cheese out of a box mix. Just like you could buy beer someone else brewed. But one browned and bubbling bite is all it takes to prove homemade is best.

Ingredients

• 16 oz uncooked noodles
• 1 cup of your favorite homebrewed beer (ambers are my preference)
• 1 cup whole milk
• 16 oz cream cheese
• ¼ Tsp. smoked paprika
• ½ Tsp ground mustard
• Pinch of black pepper
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 8 oz Farmhouse Cheddar, grated
• 6 oz Gouda, grated
• 2 oz aged Parmesan
• ½ cup panko bread crumbs
• ½ 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, and cook pasta according to package directions, then drain and set aside.
2. Combine the beer, milk and cream cheese in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking until well incorporated. Whisk in spices, then add cheddar and gouda, stirring over low until melted and slightly thickened, around 5-6 minutes.
3. Add the pasta to the cheese mixture, then toss to combine and pour into a baking dish. In a separate bowl, combine parmesan, breadcrumbs and oil, then sprinkle overtop the pasta. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before serving and enjoy!