Christmas Countdown Day 12: 12 Drummers Drumming

Here it finally is, what we've all been waiting for: Christmas Countdown Day 12 (i.e. Christmas Eve)! Today was an extraordinarily busy day (I had to prepare 4 large dishes for a Christmas Eve potluck), so I wasn't able to prepare what I had ideally wished to make for Day 12 (Soy garlic glazed drumsticks), but instead I'm just going to pretend like one of the 4 dishes I prepared fit the theme of 12 drummers drumming. And the dish I choose to represent 12 drummers drumming is....baked macaroni and cheese! When you think about it, drummers curl their arms in such a way that their arms look like elbow macaroni so...slight (albeit very, very slight) connection there. But my other options were kimchi pork belly buns, miso butter corn, and Chinese sticky rice so...which would you have chosen if you were me??

By the time I started making the mac and cheese, I was extraordinarily rushed and had to eyeball everything so I don't have any measurements for this recipe. Also I would have ideally liked to incorporate a little truffle oil (I know, I know, it's not real truffle), but I didn't have any, so what can you do?

For the cheese sauce, I went with 3 kinds of cheese: gruyere, swiss, and mild cheddar. Altogether, these cheeses mix to form a light cheese sauce - perfect for those who are not that partial to strong cheeses. I melted 6 tbsp of butter in a pot, then whisked in 4 tbsp of flour (very quickly, because it thickens up quite fast). I whisked in 1 cup of hot milk and 1 cup of warm heavy cream until well incorporated. I then slowly began to add in the cheeses (about 2 cups of each), mixing with a wooden spoon until the cheese were all melted. If you want your sauce to be slightly creamier, add a little more heavy cream and milk (I ended up using about 2 cups of milk and 1.5 cups of heavy cream) until you reach a desired consistency. Then season with salt, pepper, and parsley (either dried or fresh) to taste.

Once the cheese sauce is ready, mix the cooked pasta (follow directions on the package), cheese sauce, and any additional add-ins you wish to incorporate - I chose bacon bits and sauteed mushrooms. Pour into a baking dish and top with a bread mixture of panko crumbs, diced parsley, and diced garlic (ideally puree if you can). Pop the pan into a 375 F oven for about 30 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the mac and cheese is bubbly.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!