Guest Blog Post- Matt's Shells and Cheese

                                                                                                  About our guest blogger!

My name is Matt Jones and I have known Devon for about 10 years, although we've only cooked with each other a handful of times!  My love for cooking started when I was really young, as my dad is a Chef.  I really enjoy making good, but healthy, comfort food.  I hope you enjoy my dishes.

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So I pretty much like all types of food, but there are exceptions,one of those being cheese. When I share this with friends they look at me like I am from another planet and say “HOW CAN YOU NOT LIKE CHEESE?!?!?!” I go on to say that it’s complicated because I like certain cheeses, but not on pizza and in certain dishes.




About a year ago, I was walking through my local Whole Foods in DC and they were sampling this cheese called Parrano (www.parrano.com). It had a nutty buttery smell so I decided to try a piece. It was delicious! I have never had cheese like this. It has a mild buttery flavor with a hint of sharpness.


When Devon asked me to guest blog I thought that I would make this for my debut post. I hope you enjoy!


Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• Vegetable oil
• 2 Knorr Vegetable Bouillon Cubes
• 1 pound whole wheat shells
• 1 quart milk
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 20 ounces Parrano Cheese, grated (6 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (Optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

1. Add oil and bouillon cubes into a large pot of boiling water.
2. Add the shells and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.
3. Heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it.
4. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, whisking frequently.
5. While whisking the flour and butter, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth.
6. Off the heat, add the Parrano, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked shells and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish.
7. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top.
8. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

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