Chef notes
Everyone loves hash browns and everyone loves macaroni and cheese, so I said let’s combine them! It’s a delicious way to enjoy two comfort foods in one hearty, cheesy dish. It’s a food mash-up that’s perfect for brunch. Make it ahead of a tailgating party and take it with you! And pair it with chardonnay.
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta, cooked until al dente
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 zucchini, diced
- 2 yellow squash, diced
- 2 red onion, diced
- 1 bunch asparagus, diced
- 1 red pepper, finely diced
- 1 orange pepper, finely diced
- 1 yellow pepper, finely diced
- 1 pound store-bought shredded hash brown potatoes
- ½ pound shredded cheddar
- ½ pound shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- ½ pound shredded Gruyere
- ½ pound shredded fontina cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 12 cups whole milk
- 4 cups heavy cream
- Nonstick cooking spray
Preparation
1.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2.Cook the pasta until it is al dente. Drain and set aside.
3.In a large pan, saute all of the diced vegetables until they are softened, about 1 minutes. Add the shredded hash brown potatoes, stir to combine and remove from the heat. Set aside.
4.Create a double boiler by boiling water in a large pot and placing a medium pot inside the larger pot.
5.In the medium pot, add the milk and heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a light simmer, then add all of the cheeses. Whisk until the cheese is melted and smooth and the sauce thickens. Let the cheese sauce cool.
6.Spray a large baking dish with the cooking spray. Pour the cooked pasta into the pan. Gently toss the pasta with the cheese sauce and add additional shredded cheese over the top, if desired.
7.Top the pasta mixture with the potato and vegetable mixture. Spray the top of the potato mixture lightly with the cooking spray. Bake for 15 minutes. Lower the oven to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 25 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes have browned. Make it ahead and take it with you!
