Macaroni and Cheese with Sausage and Pears

I developed this recipe from a basic mac-n-cheese recipe, adding pears which go well with the sharp Cheddar. For the sausage, we like Aidell's® Chicken and Apple or Roasted Garlic Gruyere sausages. They are fully cooked and very flavorful! To use as a side dish, leave out the sausage.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 50 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins
• Calories: 443 Calories

Ingredients

• ¼ cup butter
• 3 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• ground black pepper to taste
• ½ cup bread crumbs
• ¼ onion, chopped
• 1 (8 ounce) package elbow macaroni
• cooking spray
• 2 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour, or as needed
• 1 (12 ounce) package fully-cooked sausage, sliced
• 1 pear - peeled, cored, and sliced

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 3-quart casserole dish with cooking spray.

Step 2

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes. Drain macaroni and transfer to the prepared casserole dish.

Step 3

Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir onions in the melted butter until partially translucent, about 5 minutes. Whisk in flour until paste-like consistency, 3 to 5 minutes. Slowly stream in milk, stirring constantly, until flour mixture is incorporated, about 5 minutes. Stir in Cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese until completely melted and and sauce has thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 4

Pour cheese sauce into macaroni; stir to coat. Season with black pepper. Stir in sausage.

Step 5

Reserve 4 slices of pears; dice remaining pear slices and stir into macaroni mixture. Arrange the reserved slices atop macaroni mixture.

Step 6

Stir 2 tablespoons melted butter and bread crumbs together in a small bowl; sprinkle over macaroni mixture.

Step 7

Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is bubbling and topping is lightly browned, about 30 minutes.