individual baked mac 'n cheese

Birthdays mean fun things I'd never buy for myself. For my recent bday, I received these adorable mini casserole dishes from Kabeer's mom and was dying to use them as soon as possible. I was trying to find an individual mac 'n cheese recipe that incorporated pepperjack due to our recent trip to Costco in which we came home with a 2 lb block of it. I was unsuccessful, so this recipe was definitely a test drive! I only made enough for 2, because this is not one of those things you want sitting in your fridge tempting you for days...or maybe it is. mmm chhheeeeeeseee....

you will need:
3/4 cup dry elbow macaroni or mini rotini
1/8 to 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup grated pepperjack cheese
1 tbsp flour
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup half and half
1 tbsp sour cream
1 tbsp butter, more for greasing dishes
panko or italian bread crumbs
salt and pepper to taste
pinch nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground red pepper
optional: garlic salt to taste
2 10 oz dishes or one 20 oz dish.
*serves 2

If you don't want a spicy-ish dish, then use different cheeses such as gruyere, extra sharp white cheddar,   parmigiano-reggiano..this pasta has a bit of a kick to it! you could also add chicken, veggies...whatever you're up for.

1. Heat oven and boil pasta. Set oven to 375 degrees. Boil pasta until cooked on outside and undercooked in the inside, about 2-3 minutes under the manufacturer's suggestion. Transfer to coriander, rinse, cool.

2. Prepare baking dishes by greasing with butter.

3. Make cheese sauce. Melt butter, add onion and cook for 3-5 minutes until translucent. Whisk in flour and cook until it is bubbling but not browning. Add cream, half and half, sour cream. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 4 minutes. Add cheese, add more or less depending on your desired thickness. Stir until cheese is completely melted and smooth. Add nutmeg, red pepper, garlic salt, salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine.

4. Assemble dishes. Pour pasta into sauce pan and combine. Transfer to dishes. Add reserve cheese and then breadcrumbs to top of dish. Bake for 25-35 minutes on a baking sheet until cheese is bubbling and golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before digging in!