MAC AND CHEESE MUFFINS

Mac and Cheese Muffins image

Provided by Food Network

Time 1h

Yield 90-100 mini muffins

Number Of Ingredients 14

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1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon shredded Parmesan
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 pound small elbow macaroni
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 2/3 cups milk
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Salt
4 cups packed shredded Gruyere cheese
1 cup shredded Cheddar
1 cup crumbled goat cheese
Nonstick cooking spray, for spraying muffin pans

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
For the panko mix: Mix the panko, Parmesan, olive oil and garlic together and set aside.
For the mac and cheese: Cook the macaroni according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
In the meantime, melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the milk and whisk constantly until the mixture thickens. Reduce the heat to low and add the Worcestershire and salt to taste. Slowly fold in the Gruyere, Cheddar and goat cheese and heat through until all the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Fold the cooked macaroni into the cheese mixture.
Spray mini-muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray and dust with the panko mix. Put the muffin pans in the oven and bake until the panko is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove the pans and lower the temperature to 350 degrees F. Carefully fill the cups the rest of the way with the mac and cheese, packing tightly. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle the tops with the panko mix and continue baking until the tops are golden brown, about 5 minutes more.
Let the muffins cool before removing them from the pan. Repeat with the remaining macaroni and cheese and panko mixture.