Ingredients
- 4 oz macaroni pasta shells, elbows, whatever you have about
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 medium carrot diced
- 1 celery stalk diced
- salt and pepper
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp flour
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp mustard powder
- 8 oz hard cider such as Angry Orchard Hard Cider
- 3 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup milk
- 6 oz sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 2 oz mozzarella cheese shredded
- 2 oz Parmesan cheese shredded
- scallions green parts only, sliced
Instructions
- Cook the pasta to al dente in a large pot of boiling salted water. Drain, rinse, and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onion, carrot, and celery until soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add the butter.
- Whisk in the flour to create a roux. Cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the cayenne and mustard and carefully whisk in the cider, scraping up any browned bits. Slowly whisk in the broth and milk.
- Remove from heat and while stirring, add the cheese until melted through.
- Add the pasta and let sit for 5 minutes to heat through.
- Ladle into bowls and serve with scallions, breadcrumbs, or broken Cheez-it crackers!