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Hi, I’m Kaiti and I’m a bad blogger.
Haha! I say that because I probably should’ve had this post up at the beginning of this week instead of posting it the day of. My creative powers were flowing on other projects that I’ll share with you in the weeks to come. And while those are functioning normally, I’ve been suffering from some serious writer’s block. It’s hard to be a lifestyle blogger when there is literally NOTHING HAPPENING in your day to day life.
ANYWAYS…
Today is National Mac and Cheese Day! If you’ve been reading my blog since it’s inception, you probably saw my Mac Attack Series. It was a 4-month series dedicated to deliciously dairy-free mac and cheese recipes. In honor of National Mac and Cheese Day, I thought it was only appropriate to do a round-up of the Top 8 recipes from the Mac Attack Series.
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Not So Basic Mac and Cheese:
Not-So-Basic Mac and Cheese
This is my go-to mac and cheese! The sauce comes together in the amount of time it takes to boil the water and cook your mac. This is the mac I used to create many of my gourmet macs that made this list. I like to save extra sauce for reheating leftovers. The noodles suck up all the liquid the longer it sits. To reheat you can add a few tablespoons of water or use some of the leftover sauce. Psssst… it also makes a delicious topping for steamed broccoli! (vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free optional)
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Butternut Mac and Cheese:
Butternut Mac and Cheese
Very similar to my Not-So-Basic mac except this one does not contain nuts. This one is also a picky-eater/kid approved recipe! So, if you’re someone who needs to hide the veggies for them to be consumed… this is the perfect recipe! This recipe has also been tested as the base for many of the gourmet macs. If you’re nut-free, just swap this recipe in where “basic” mac is suggested. (vegan, dairy-free, nut-free, gluten-free optional)
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Ultimate BBQ Mac and Cheese:
Ultimate BBQ Mac and Cheese
My family calls this gourmet mac, “Vegan Mac Crack”! Start with the base of your choice and top it with BBQ pulled jackfruit. This quick bbq comes together with all the flavors of smoked pulled pork, without any of the special bbq equipment. The secret? A few drops of liquid smoke goes into the mix to create a layer of flavor that might otherwise be missed. (vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free optional, nut-free optional)
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Taco Mac and Cheese:
Taco Mac and Cheese
Switch things up on Taco Tuesday with this drool-worthy mac. Your choice of base mac gets a flavor boost with taco seasoning. Adding in corn, a can of tomatoes with chilies, and some black beans makes this a complete meal! Choose your own destiny by choosing your heat preference, using mild or hot taco seasoning makes it yours. Bump up the heat even more with some chopped jalapeños on top, if you want! (vegan, dairy-free, nut-free optional, gluten-free optional)
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Mac Daddy Grilled Cheese:
Mac Daddy Grilled Cheese
Looking for a way to use up the little bit of leftover basic mac? This grilled cheese is the result of needing to stretch a snack-sized amount of leftovers into a meal. An extra layer of dairy-free cheese creates the gooey grilled cheese center. And the addition of sauteed onions and bbq sauce helps to cut through the richness of the mac and double cheese. This is a fun party food too! Make a few sandwiches and cut into squares or triangles with the bbq sauce on the side for dipping. (vegan, dairy-free, nut-free optional, gluten-free optional)
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Buffalo Mac and Cheese:
Buffalo Mac and Cheese
The inspiration behind this mac is buffalo chicken dip. Tiny pieces of cauliflower take the place of chicken… but you’ll never notice! Keep this one in your recipe arsenal for the upcoming football season/sports event watch parties! It’s a great dish to have on hand for the rogue vegetarian at your party. And trust me when I say, the meat eaters will devour it too! I’ve served it to a bunch of cops and they had no idea it didn’t have meat OR cheese! (vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free optional)
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Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese
Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese
Are you a fan of a little heat? I deconstructed one of my favorite bar snacks to create this awesomely warm mac sauce! Jalapeños are added in two ways to create a well-rounded burn. If you’re not a heat seeker, just swap out one of the jalapeño ingredients. By topping the mac with toasted breadcrumbs, you get the crunch you’d find from the deep-fried jalapeño bites at the bar. (vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free optional)
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Spinach Artichoke Mac and Cheese:
I used to work in a restaurant that had the best spinach-artichoke dip ever. Or, so I was told… I couldn’t try it. But, I found the claim to be pretty true. It was our top selling appetizer and kids would devour the cheesy dip, chock-full of veggies. Naturally, a cheesy dip made sense to transition to a mac and cheese.
And there you have it! My Top 8 Mac and Cheeses to celebrate National Mac and Cheese day… or for your next family get-together. Mac and Cheese is definitely a crowd pleaser. Do you have a favorite “gourmet” mac that you make? What’s your go to flavor combo?
