Seafood Mac ‘N Cheese

Who doesn’t love a good plate of mac ‘n cheese? Plate, bowl, the whole pan… it’s easy to get carried away. This recipe I’ve put together quickly became a family favorite and, not only am I asked to bring it along to sporting events, my family expects a pan for every holiday too. For my Superbowl man ‘n cheese, I decided to add a little something extra: seafood! This seafood mac is rich, delicious, and will keep you coming back for more!

• 1 lb. macaroni noodles
• ½ stick of butter
• 1 ½ cup milk
• 1 pouch Velveeta cheese sauce
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
• 1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
• 1 cup shredded smoked cheddar (It is important to make sure it is smoked cheddar – for the flavor!)
• 1 egg
• 1 sleeve Ritz crackers
• ½ lb. sauteed shrimp
• ½ lb. cooked lump crab meat
• Seasonings: salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, seasoning salt, Old Bay, and paprika (Feel free to add or subtract whatever seasonings you prefer!)

1. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add a pinch of salt and a splash of olive oil to the water.
2. Add noodles to the water and cook until soft.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a large baking dish.
4. In a mixing bowl, combine milk, egg, seasonings, and shredded cheeses. If you want your mac a little richer, add a splash of heavy whipping cream with the milk.
5. Stir half of the ½ stick of butter and Velveeta sauce pouch into the noodles until well combined.
6. Pour the milk and cheese mixture into the noodles and mix. Pour into baking dish.
7. Add sauteed shrimp and cooked crab meat into pan.
8. Melt remaining butter, crush Ritz crackers, combine and top the pan with mixture. If you don’t like a lot of crust, you don’t have to use the whole sleeve of crackers.
9. Bake 20-25 minutes.