Shrimp and WalnutsWhite Mac Cheese

November has been the month of mac and cheese for me.  Every Friday I find myself coming home to fix some dinner and making a mac dish. Mainly due to my pledge to use up most of my carbs before buying anymore for the pantry.  A few months ago I realised that I had about 10lbs of rice, grains, and pasta. Mind you, I'm a single person who lives alone. Variety may be the spice of life, but efficiency is the stabilizer. Subsequently when I ran out of botan rice, I was a disheartened hapa. But, it's lead to some creativity in the kitchen for sure.
This mac has a few of my favourite things: shrimp, walnuts and some good cheese (blue cheese, white cheddar and parmasan).




Shrimp and Walnut Mac and Cheese (springpad link)
Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 2 cups milk
• Garlic clove smashed and diced fine
• Lemon Pepper to taste
• Juice of
• 1/2 lb shrimp cooked
• 1/2 lb cavatappi pasta (or Mac of choice)
• 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbled
• 1 cup white cheddar shredded
• 1/2 cup parmesan grated
• Fresh dill
• 1/2 cup walnuts chopped

Directions

Beforehand: make sure you have about a half pound a shrimp. Season with lemon juice, cover and set aside in fridge or cool place till just before combining.

1.Prepare pasta according to package directions
2. Over medium low heat, melt butter then add flour whisking till smooth.
3. Add Garlic and Lemon Pepper (I used about 2 tsp)
4. Gradually whisk in milk, adjust heat as neccesary, till well blended
5. Add White cheddar and parmasan. Blend until smooth and velvety.
6. Stir in about 2 tbsp of fresh dill, pasta and Shrimp

Stovetop style: Serve up and top with toasted walnuts and blue cheese
Oven style: Transfer Mac N Cheese to casserole dish(es) top with blue cheese and untoasted walnuts. Broil for about 5 minutes til blue cheese is all melty and the walnuts are toast.

Enjoy!

You know the best thing about not being ridiculously poor? I can afford seafood!