Roasted Vegetable Macaroni & Cheese

By MooK

Ingredients

• 1 red bell pepper, cored and diced
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 yellow squash, de-stemmed and diced
• 1 small head broccoli, chopped
• 1 package (8 oz.) button or baby portabella mushrooms, quartered
• 1 small white onion, peeled and diced
• 1 head garlic, cloves peeled
• 2 Tbsp. canola or vegetable oil
• 1 (12-ounce) can 2% evaporated milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
• pinch of cayenne
• 8 oz. elbow macaroni
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 8 oz. freshly-grated smoked or sharp white cheddar cheese (do not use pre-grated cheese)
• 1/4 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, toss diced vegetables with 2 Tbsp. canola or vegetable oil. Season with extra salt and pepper. Place the vegetables on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil, and give it a shake so that they spread out in an even layer. Divide out garlic cloves and wrap them in aluminum foil to form a sealed packet, and place that in a corner of the baking sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until vegetables are soft and just beginning to brown around the edges. Remove.

While the vegetables are roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain the pasta, and then return the pasta to the pot and toss with butter over medium-high heat until melted.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the evaporated milk, eggs, salt, pepper, smoked paprika and cayenne until combined. As soon as the butter is melted with the macaroni, pour in the evaporated milk mixture and stir until combined. Continue cooking over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5-8 minutes, or until the sauce comes to a simmer.

Remove pan from heat and stir in the grated cheddar and Parmesan until melted. Then gently stir in the roasted vegetables until combined. Serve immediately.