#SundaySupper Big Game Day: Three Cheese Macaroni Bites

Today, Sunday Supper is celebrating Game Day foods! I made Three Cheese Macaroni Bites. The base of this Macaroni and Cheese is a delicious combination of White Cheddar (or your favorite) and Gruyere. Egg yolks are added to the sauce to thicken it enough to hold the mixture together after baking. Parmigiano-Reggiano is mixed with Panko breadcrumbs and sprinkled over the bites  to add a little extra crispness.

I almost didn’t post this recipe. I could have baked the mini macaroni bites a little longer to crisp the edges further and the bottoms were slightly on the greasy side (my overzealous spraying of the pans to keep the pasta from sticking definitely didn’t help). Then I tried one. And another. And another. I absolutely loved the combination of cheeses. And as for them being slightly oily, well I think that is permitted a bit for a game day appetizer. So make sure you bake the bites until they are golden and crisp before removing from the oven and don’t overdo oiling the pans (just enough to keep the pasta and sauce from sticking).

I used mini penne pasta, but you can also use macaroni or a similar-sized noodle. You just need to make sure it is a shape that will easy fit inside a mini muffin tin.

I sprinkled the Macaroni Bites with freshly chopped parsley for a little color. Chives would also be nice.

These can be assembled up to a day before. Refrigerate the muffin tins filled with the mac and cheese, then bake right before serving.

In the future, I may mix in some cooked, chopped spinach (remove all the moisture) or other similar veggies. My husband mentioned bacon.

Check out what everyone else made for the event:

Appetizers and Sides

• Atomic Buffalo Turds by Wholistic Woman
• Avocado Egg Rolls by My Imperfect Kitchen
• Bacon Wrapped Potato Wedges by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
• Buttermilk Battered Chicken Wings by Crazy Foodie Stunts
• Cajun Okra Fries by Food Lust People Love
• Cheddar Sausage Balls by Tramplingrose
• Cheese Board and Baguettes Make for the Start of a Great Game Day Feast by Delaware Girl Eats
• Cheesy Crabmeat Canapés by Meal Planning Magic
• Cheesy Sausage Dip by The Bitter Side of Sweet
• Chicken Fajita Nachos by Sweet Mornings
• Chipotle-Ranch Chicken Wings by Casa de Crews
• Corn Dog Muffins by Noshing With The Nolands
• Crock-Pot Bean Dip by Confessions of a Cooking Diva
• Deep Fried Pimento Cheese and Celery Bites by Granny’s Down Home Sassy Southern Cooking
• Dill Pickle Dip by Seduction in the Kitchen
• Fish Taquitos by Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
• Gluten Free Asian Sweet Chili Wings by Flippin’ Delicious
• Healthy Guacamole Recipe by Real Food Real Deals
• Hogs in a blanket by Cooking on the Ranch
• Hot Pork Roll and Cheese Dip by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Nacho Waffle Fries by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Patatas Pobres for a Crowd by Lydia’s Flexitarian Kitchen
• Pepperoni Pizza Bites by Family Foodie
• Philly Cheesesteak Sliders by Daily Dish Recipes
• Pimento Cheese-Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates by The Healthy Fit Foodie
• Rajas by Pook’s Pantry
• Roasted Broccoli Artichoke Dip by Cooking Chat
• Slow Cooker Thai Wings by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Smoky Blender Salsa by What Smells So Good?
• Southwestern Eggroll Cups by A Gouda Life
• Southwestern Flatbread and a “Design Your Own Flatbread” Table by The Freshman Cook
• Spicy Szechuan Shrimp Lettuce Cups by Palatable Pastime
• Sweet and Spicy Hummus by Rants From My Crazy Kitchen
• Texas Caviar by Books n’ Cooks
• Tex-Mex Egg Rolls by Cookin’ Mimi
• Thai Beef Taco Bites by Brunch-n-Bites
• Three Cheese Macaroni Bites by Tara’s Multicultural Table

Main Dishes

• BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders With Tangy Warm Cabbage Slaw by Taste And See
• Buffalo Chicken Chili by Monica’s Table
• Cheeseburger Pizza by Life Tastes Good
• Cheesy Cheesesteaks by Family Around The Table
• Emeril’s Chicken and Andouille Gumbo by The Texan New Yorker
• Game Day Chili by Our Good Life
• Handy Beef Buns by Get the Good Stuff
• Lahmacun – Turkish flatbread by Caroline’s Cooking
• New Jersey Sloppy Joe by kimchi MOM
• Pizza Pasta Bake by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Pork Italiano Sandwich by The Food Hunter’s Guide to Cuisine
• Puerto Rican Pernil (Garlic Roast Pork) by Curious Cuisiniere
• Ree’s Philly Cheesesteaks by Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
• Slow Cooker Italian Sausage Cheese Bombers by Kitchen Gidget
• Spicy Tuna Croquette Sliders with Avocado Pesto by The Crumby Cupcake

Desserts and Drinks

• Chocolate Football Cookies by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Cinnamon Sugar Chex Mix by Pies and Plots
• Game Day Mocktails by Beauty and the Beets
• Gluten Free Football Potato Candy by Gluten Free Crumbley
• S’more Poutine by Desserts Required
• Super Duper Peanut Butter Cup Popcorn by Only Taste Matters

• Plus Big Game Party Recipes plus Sausage and Peppers Over Cheesy Grits by Sunday Supper Movement

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Three Cheese Macaroni Bites
Adapted from The Galley Gourmet, from Food & Wine
~48 Macaroni Bites

1/2 pound dried pasta (macaroni or other similar medium-short shape)
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
4 ounces white cheddar cheese, grated
4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
2 egg yolks
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
Freshly chopped parsley for garnish

Place the oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven. Preheat to 425 degrees F. Grease 2 (24 count) mini muffin tins.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until just tender, al dente. Drain.

While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, mix in the flour and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking. Cook, whisking often, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the cheddar and gruyere cheese, a handful at a time, and whisk until melted and smooth between additions. Remove from heat and mix in the egg yolks. Stir in the drained pasta and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Fill each of the muffin tins 3/4 full with the pasta. In a small bowl, combine the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and panko. Sprinkle over the tops of the pasta in the muffin tins.

Bake the muffin tins until the tops are bubbly and golden, about 12 minutes. Rotate the tins halfway through baking. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan with a small spoon or off-set spatula. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley before serving.