Fresh From Pea Ridge, It’s Mac’n Cheese! https://www.newsbreak.com/doc-...

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Baked macaroni and cheese, often called “mac n’ cheese,” is a staple in Georgia, a classic comfort food with deep roots in the South. While it didn't originate in Georgia, its preparation style, history, and enduring popularity are deeply rooted in our region's culinary heritage.

Thomas Jefferson is credited with popularizing macaroni and cheese among America's elite after encountering the dish in France. However, it was his enslaved chef, James Hemings, who adapted and refined the recipe, serving it at state dinners at Monticello.

Mary Randolph's influential 1824 cookbook, The Virginia House-Wife, included a baked mac and cheese recipe, helping to cement its place in Southern cuisine. The cooking technique—often involving a creamy béchamel sauce and baked as a casserole—became a distinctive trait of Southern-style mac and cheese, reflecting a slower, familial way of cooking that many associate with a "labor of love".

For many, mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food, evoking feelings of home, family picnics,tailgating and childhood memories.

Affordability and versatility: The basic ingredients are affordable, filling, and easy to find.

Pea Ridge Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:

1 lb elbow macaroni, cooked al dente

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

4 large eggs

1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

2 cups heavy cream or half & half

1/2 cup sour cream

1 lb extra sharp cheddar cheese, hand-shredded

1/2 lb Colby-Jack, Monterey Jack, or mild cheddar cheese, hand-shredded

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp seasoned salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Paprika for topping

Instructions:

Preheat and prepare: Preheat your oven to

350 F

Grease a 9"x13" baking dish.

Cook pasta:

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the elbow macaroni until just shy of the package directions, or "al dente." Drain well and place the hot pasta in the prepared baking dish with the melted butter, stirring to coat.

Make the custard:

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy. Add the evaporated milk, heavy cream or half & half, sour cream, garlic powder, seasoned salt, and black pepper. Whisk until the mixture is fully combined with no streaks of egg.

Assemble:

Add about three-quarters of your shredded cheeses to the pasta in the baking dish and stir. Pour the custard mixture over the top, making sure the liquid reaches just below the top of the noodles. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the top.

Bake for 35–45 minutes, or until the mac and cheese is bubbly and the top is lightly golden brown. If you want a more browned top, you can turn on the broiler for the last 2–3 minutes, but watch it carefully to avoid burning.

Rest and serve: Remove the dish from the oven and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.