Grown-up Mac and Cheese with Dogs and Beans

One of my favorite meals growing up was mac and cheese with hot dogs and beans mixed in. It is still such a good meal, but I have found a way to make it more of a grown-up meals. Don’t worry kids will still enjoy it.

What You’ll Need…

1lb Pasta (Elbow macaroni, bow ties, anything you like.)

1 Package Your Favorite Link Sausage.

1 Can Baked Beans (Your favorite style.)

3 Tablespoons Butter

3 Tablespoons Flour

1 ½ Cup Milk

Salt (To taste)

Pepper (To taste)

Dash Nutmeg

2 Cups Grated Cheese (Anything you like. Gouda and mozzarella are great.)

Pre-heat your oven to 400.

Place a pot of water on the stove and allow it to come to a boil.

While you are waiting for the water to boil place the sausages in a skillet and brown the outsides. Once they a browned place them in the oven to finish cooking or to warm through.

Once the water has come to a boil add the pasta and allow it to cook to your liking.

Now, place the butter in a sauce pot and melt it. Once the butter has melted add the flour and whisk the two together and allow the flour taste to cook out. This should take a minute or two. Once the flour and butter have cooked add the milk and whisk it together. The flour and butter will help to thicken the sauce. I whisk until the sauce has thickened, but you don’t have to whisk the whole time.

When the sauce has thickened turn off the heat, add in the grated cheese, and combine.

When the pasta is cooked to your liking drain it, put it back into the pot that you cooked it in, and add the cheese sauce.

Remove the sausage from the oven and allow it to cool slightly so that you can handle it. Once it has cooled slightly cut it into bite-sized pieces and add it as well as the can of beans to the pot with the noodles.

Mix everything together and allow it all to heat through again.

Enjoy!

(As a true Pittsburgher I top it with ketchup.)