Creole Mac & Cheese

Build your bowl with smoky, juicy and delicious smoked sausage joined with al dente pasta covered with a rich, complex creamy creole sauce. Mix in red and green bell peppers and top with crunchy, blackened seasoned sourdough crumbles.

Ingredients

SERVES: 4-6

Ingredients

1 lb.Hillshire Farm® Endless Rope Smoked Sausage, Fully Cooked, sliced thinly on the bias 1/8” 
1 ½ lb.Radiatori pasta, cooked 
1 Tbsp.Garlic, chopped ​ 
3 oz. Sofrito 
5 oz. Onions, peppers, celery "holy trinity," small dice, oven roasted  
10 oz. Alfredo sauce ​ 
2 C. Sourdough crumbs, blackened  
As needed Extra virgin olive oil (in spray bottle, if possible) 
As needed Blackening seasoning (sodium-free) ​ 
2 Tbsp Chives, micro rings 
Directions
  1. Cook the pasta according to directions and reserve. ​
  2. Place Hillshire Farm® Endless Rope Smoked Sausage in a sauté pan and cook for 5 to 7 minutes—or until the fat starts to render out and the smoked sausage comes to temperature. Remove the smoked sausage slices but retain the fat/oil in the sauté pan. Reserve the smoked sausage hot and covered. ​
  3. Add the garlic and sauté. Once the garlic edges start to brown, add the sofrito and roasted “holy trinity.”  Cook for 3 to 5 minutes.  ​
  4. Add the Alfredo sauce to the pan and mix to fully incorporate the vegetables. This is best done with a rubber spatula. Heat throughout and reserve warm. ​
  5. Lightly spray or toss the sourdough croutons with extra virgin olive oil and then toss in the blackening seasoning. Bake on lower rack in oven until dry and the edges are brown. These can be made up to 48 hours in advance.
  6. When an order is placed, add the Cajun-seasoned sauce to a sauté pan and add pasta. Heat until the pasta is hot throughout and place in an oven-safe plate, cast-iron skillet or pan. Top with sliced Hillshire Farm® Endless Rope Smoked Sausage.
  7. Sprinkle the Mac & Cheese mixture with the blackened seasoned croutons and chives.