Patti LaBelle’s Easy Mac and Cheese Is Practically Perfect
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Patti Labelle's Mac & Cheese
As many of us may already know by now, Patti LaBelle is no stranger to success. From an iconic musical career to being dubbed as one of "America's Most-Beloved Divas" by The New York Times, the Godmother of Soul has been nestled in our hearts and homes for more than 60 years.
For me, Patti's music was in regular rotation, pounding through the speakers in my grandmother's home while I was child. It wasn't until I grew a bit older that I realized that I would be able to connect with the famous LaBelle in my own personal way: through cooking.
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While plenty of people's thoughts about Patti's culinary journey is only as deep as seeing her pies and other baked goods on the grocery store shelves, in 1999, the songstress released her first cookbook, which was noted to be one of the first cookbooks released by major entertainment artist of color. Going on to release a line of small batch hot sauces and barbecue sauce, there's no denying Patti's status of becoming one of the country's comfort food queens. So, when I stumbled across Patti LaBell's Macaroni and Cheese recipe, I knew I had to give a try.
After grabbing all of my ingredients needed, I set out to see if this would be a chart-topping recipe worthy enough for a spot on my Thanksgiving table and beyond. Here's how it went.
Get the recipe: Patti LaBelle's Macaroni and Cheese
Courtesy of Choya Johnson
Ingredients for Patti LaBelle's Macaroni and Cheese
For Patti’s recipe, you’ll need to gather the following ingredients: vegetable oil, elbow noodles, butter and four cheeses: shredded muenster, mild cheddar, sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses. You'll also need half and half, Velveeta, eggs, seasoning salt and fresh ground pepper.
How to Make Patti LaBelle's Macaroni and Cheese
Start by preheating your oven to 350°. Next, lightly butter a 2½-quart baking dish, before filling a large pot with water and bringing to a rapid boil. Add the macaroni and oil to the pot, cooking for 7 minutes or until the noodles are tender. Drain the noodles, transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
In a small saucepan, melt down your butter, then stir it into the macaroni. Stir the shredded cheeses with the noodles, then add in the half and half, Velveeta, eggs, seasoning salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to your buttered deep dish and top with more shredded cheese and dot with some butter. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and bubbly.
Courtesy of Choya Johnson
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What I Thought of Patti LaBelle's Macaroni and Cheese
Before I dive too deep into what I thought about Patti’s mac and cheese, let me tell you how simple and easy this delicious recipe was. With only a few ingredients that can mostly be found in your cabinets and refrigerator, it's easy to find yourself enjoying this palate-pleasing mac and cheese quicker than you probably think.
If you're making the right type of macaroni and cheese, it can sometimes be intimidating — especially around the holidays. Thanks to the iconic Patti LaBelle, we now have a quick and easy version of this iconic side dish that's worthy of your holiday table.
In my opinion, this recipe is nearly perfect — from texture to taste — and it's quite reminiscent of my late grandmother's recipe. It gives me a great feeling taking a bite of this and I would absolutely give this a 10/10 rating. Don't believe me? Try it for yourself. You won't be disappointed.
Courtesy of Choya Johnson
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