Comfort in a cup

Maybe it is just me, but macaroni and cheese the best comfort food. I also really like the trend in food (and Pinterest) to make small portion things to eat. Thus, I decided to make single serving Mac and Cheese Cups. I found a very good recipe here. I selected it mainly because, it had broccoli in it which makes it healthy.....right?

Mac and Cheese Broccoli Cups

Ingredients

8 ounces (2 cups) elbow pasta

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

2 large eggs

1 cup 1% milk

¼ cup cream cheese

1 ½ cups broccoli florets, cooked and chopped

3 tablespoons chopped onion

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon italian seasoning

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Topping

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 cup Japanese panko bread crumbs

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cook macaroni according to package instructions in a salted pot of boiling water, undercooking slightly (al dente),

Drain the pasta and in a large bowl with cream cheese and mozzarella cheese stir until cheese is gooey and melted.

Crack the two eggs into a separate bowl, scrambling them slightly, then adding it to the pasta cheese mixture. Add the milk and stir.

Add seasoning of salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion and italian seasoning and continue to mix.

Add Dijon mustard and broccoli.

Divide the mixture among 15 cups of a greased muffin tin (I used one 12 and 3 from the other tin). Stuff into the cups, about ¼ cup each.

Topping

In a small bowl, stir together butter, bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. Don't clump but instead mix until it is like lumpy sand. Sprinkle evenly over the macaroni. Divide bread crumb mixture among macaroni cups, pressing into the cups.

Cook for 20 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and remove from tins. Enjoy! Let cool for at least five minutes before unmolding.

These turned out very yummy! I made a few changes to the recipe: I used crush pita chips for the panko and I used 1 cup Cheddar and 1 cup Mozzarella. The original recipe called for cream cheese and all mozzarella.

There was a unanimous agreement that it needed more creaminess. So I should have used the cream cheese. The only reason I didn't was because I totally forgot it and didn't want to go to the store for just that. We also agreed that it could use a bit of Serrano to jazz it up a bit or maybe just some slice tomato. Lots of experimentation to come.

Until the next party food...