Hey guys, it’s Mandy from Mandy’s Recipe Box! I’m here today with the easiest recipe that everyone will love. My family ate these Pizza Cupcakes up like crazy. Next time I will make more! I found the recipe on Plain Chicken via Pinterest. With Pillsbury Seamless Dough Sheets, these are a breeze to make.

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Pizza Cupcakes

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Mandy Bird

Ingredients

• 1 can refrigerated Pillsbury Seamless Dough Sheets
• 1/2 cup pizza sauce
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• pizza toppings - pepperoni ham, sausage, peppers, onions, mushrooms, pineapple, peppers etc.

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 F.
• Spray or grease a muffin pan.
• Unroll dough sheet and cut into 8 equal squares. Press into muffin cups.
• Sprinkle some cheese into each dough cup. Add 1 Tbsp. pizza sauce followed by remaining cheese and the toppings of your choice. Sprinkle garlic powder over toppings.
• Bake for 15 minutes.
• Remove from pan, carefully, with a fork.
• Serve.

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But I love them.

I love their crispy outsides and their soft potato center.

So what could be better than tater tots?

Tater tots with cheese.

And bacon.

Everything is better with bacon.

So I made this Tater Tot Casserole Recipe for dinner that I pinned from Hillbilly’s Southern Recipes and they really did the trick. It made me sooo  happy to eat them! And no matter how your day went today, having some of these will make you happy too!

And if you eat the whole pan yourself, I promise not to judge.

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Cheesy Bacon Ranch Tater Tots

Author Made From Pinterest

Ingredients

• 1 bag frozen tater tots
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup ranch dressing
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 cup Shredded cheddar cheese or more if desired. I desired a little more!
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup real bacon bits
• 1/4 cup green onions
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Cook the tater tots on a cookie sheet per the package instructions.
• Mix the sour cream, ranch dressing and milk until well blended.
• Drizzle the sour cream ranch mixture over cooked tater tots.
• Sprinkle the cheese, bacon bits and green onions all over the top of the tater tots.
• Place the cookie sheet back into the oven until the cheese melts and serve immediately.

This Pin Rocks!

This awesome post has been shared with Home Stories A to Z and Living Well Spending Less

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Before and After pictures.

What goes through my mind when I hear those words are beauty makeovers, weight loss photos and home makeovers. You know the kind. Where they show the first picture and then the amazing transformation and makeover.

I have to admit, they suck me in. I really DO want to see what someone looks like after they’ve had their make-up done or how amazing someone looks after they have lost a ton of weight. The before and after pictures make me think that maybe I want to do that too. But then I think… Nah. I’d rather have my home madeover.

So what does this have to do with the amazing RoTel and Velveeta Queso Dip that I am going to share with you today? Well it has everything to do with it, because I have some “Before” and “After” pictures of this great dip. With only two ingredients this Queso Dip can be ready in minutes which is important because we never really know when half time is, do we? I mean, the clock may say they have 5 minutes left, but we all know that could really mean 15 more minutes! Well, you don’t have to worry about that with this RoTel and Velveeta Queso Dip because it can be made and ready in no time, no matter when half-time begins.

And best of all, because it is zesty, creamy and yummy, it is a real crowd pleaser too! I promise this Queso Dip will be the star of your next tailgating party!

In fact, this is where my “Before” and “After” pictures come in. Here is my “Before” picture of what my Queso Dip looked like “Before” halftime. So yummy! And here is my “After” picture of what the Queso Dip looked like “After” halftime. The Star of my Party. Gone.

My family loved this RoTel and Velveeta Queso and I know yours will too. I love things that are big on easy but big on impressive! For more RoTel and Velveeta Queso Recipes and also for Dip Tips, check out Queso For All.

This awesome post has been shared with Living Well Spending Less!

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 The Best Caramel Corn Ever

 Texas Sheet Cake

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* We’re sharing our favorite links from last week’s party at the beginning of today’s party.  Check them out and then keep scrolling down for the link party.  We hope you’ve had a wonderful Christmas celebration!

Thanks for participating in the Best Recipes and DIY Projects Party last week!  We’re thrilled to share some of our favorite links from last week’s link party with you.

With Christmas behind us, we’ve been looking forward to New Year’s Eve–the last big party of the holiday season.  Tasty morsels for our celebrations must have been on our minds when we were check out the links from last week, because we kept spotting savory cheese recipes that would make perfect party foods!  Take a look at these cheesy appetizer recipes from the link party:

Honey-Thyme Marinate Cheddar from This Silly Girl’s Life

Radish-Pepperoni Appetizer from Year-Round Giving

Skinny Cheese Ball from Fitness Food Diva

Smokey Pecan Pimento Cheese from Yesterfood

Strawberry Goat Cheese Tartlets from Robyn’s View

Baked Camembert with Honey Roasted Cherries from With a Blast

Now, let’s get this party started!

 Happy Weekend, everyone! We’re delighted that you came to our party. The link-up is live and ready for you to share your recipes, DIY projects and crafts, just make sure you follow these guidelines:

1. When you link up, you are giving us permission to feature your project and pictures on our blogs and social media with a link back to you.
2. We’ll feature our favorite projects from this weekend’s party at the beginning of next week’s link party.
3. Weekly favorites will also be pinned to our Link Party Favorites Board on Pinterest!
4. Add a text link back to the host blog.
5. You can link up any post you’ve created during this past week.
6. We’re excited about your handmade items, but this link party is limited to blog posts only. Please don’t linkup your Etsy shop.
7. Share the love and comment on two or more of the other projects that are linked up. We all love comments!

This party starts every Friday at 5 P.M. MST, and keeps going until the following Tuesday evening. Feel free to invite others to join in the fun!

Thanks for participating! Your Hosts,

Ruthie from Cooking With Ruthie, Jeni from Bakerette, Mandy from Mandy’s Recipe Box, Dan and Chris from Live Dan 330, and Deb, Tracy, and Sheri from Made From Pinterest

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Mouth-Watering Cheesy Bacon Ranch Tater Tots

Following the Story?

Cheesy Comforting Bacon Tater Tots

What You Need For A Crazy Tasty Tater Tots Recipe

What Do You Need?

• 1/2 cup Bacon Bits
• 1/4 cup Green Onions
• 1/2 cup Ranch Dressing
• 1 Bag Frozen Tater Tots
• 1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• 1 cup Sour Cream
• 1/4 cup Milk
• Salt
• Pepper

How To Prepare Savory Cheesy Bacon Tater Tots

1. The first step is to cook the tater tots on a cookie sheet as per the package instructions. That’s an easy one because all you’ve got to do is to follow the instructions.
2. For the second step, in a medium-sized bowl, mix the sour cream, ranch dressing, and milk until well blended. With a manual whisk or an electric one, mixing should take a few minutes.
3. Once the mixture is well blended then pour the sour cream ranch mixture over your cooked tater tots.
4. The next step is cheesy. Haha. Sprinkle the cheese, bacon bits, and green onions all over the top of the tater tots. For this one, I always do lots of cheese coz I am that much fun of cheese. To an extent that I eat raw cheese.
5. The last step is to place the cookie sheet back into the oven until the cheese melts. When the meal is cooking in the oven, you can set the table so that once ready serving will be a minute’s work!

The meal is Ready. Finally!

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Cheesy Bacon Ranch Tater Tots

Author Made From Pinterest

Ingredients

• 1 bag frozen tater tots
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup ranch dressing
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 cup Shredded cheddar cheese or more if desired. I desired a little more!
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup real bacon bits
• 1/4 cup green onions
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Cook the tater tots on a cookie sheet per the package instructions.
• Mix the sour cream, ranch dressing and milk until well blended.
• Drizzle the sour cream ranch mixture over cooked tater tots.
• Sprinkle the cheese, bacon bits and green onions all over the top of the tater tots.
• Place the cookie sheet back into the oven until the cheese melts and serve immediately.

This Pin Rocks!

If You Found Tater Tots, Then You Will Also Love These Recipes:

• 100 Rainbow Treat And Dessert Recipes
• Best Recipes &DIY Projects Link Party #111 
• 23 Mouth-Watering Muffin Recipes
• 101 Apple Recipes To Try Right Now
• You Will “Fall” In Love With These Holiday E-Book Recipes

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• Divide and press biscuit dough into the bottom and up the sides of 10 greased muffin cups. Set aside.
• In a bowl, combine beef, 1/2 cup ketchup, onion, egg, and oats; mix well.
• Shape into 10 balls and place one in each muffin cup. Spread remaining ketchup on top and sprinkle with cheese.
• Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes, until done.

Thanks so much Mandy for a great summertime dinner! 

We’re sharing this post with:

Living Well Spending Less

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When my husband’s brother moved into our same town, the Sunday dinner invitation was extended to them and we all looked forward to getting together on Sundays to enjoy each other’s company.  I only have sisters so my mother didn’t have any boys and so she LOVED to cook for my husband and his brother.  They licked the plates clean and we rarely had any leftovers.  It was so fun!

I now have son-in-laws myself and it is so fun to cook for my one son and my other two “boys”.  One of my son-in-laws is a meat and potato kinda guy.  Give him a steak and a baked potato and he is a happy camper.  Knowing this about him, I  try to have this kind of meal when they come to visit so I am always on the lookout for some great potato dishes.

Enter this Cheesy Potato Gratin that I pinned from Williams-Sonoma!

This son-in-law will be coming for the Christmas holidays so I wanted to try this dish before they are here, so I made this for dinner last night.

My daughter made three comments about this dish:

When she entered the kitchen as I was cooking this dish:  “Mom, something smells REALLY GOOD.”

Sitting at the table when I set this out:  “Mom, this looks sooo good!”

And then…. “Mom, these potatoes taste SOOO good!”

I think my meat and potatoes son-in-law will be a happy camper at Christmas!

This Pin Rocks!

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Williams-Sonoma Cheesy Potato Gratin Recipe

Course Side Dish

Author MadeFromPinterest

Ingredients

• 1 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 shallot finely chopped
• 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 3 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
• Melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan. Add the chopped shallot under tender. I cooked mine for about 4 minutes. Add the flour, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly stir in the stock and heavy cream. Next, add the Gruyère cheese and thyme and stir until the cheese has melted. Season with salt and pepper. Add the potatoes and coat them well. Cover the pan and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes.
• Transfer the potatoes into an oven safe dish. Sprinkle the Parmesan-Reggiano cheese on top. Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes until it is golden brown and bubbling.
• Let cool slightly before serving.

 Looking for some other great potato dishes? Check these out!

Lipton Onion Potatoes

Parmesan Potatoes

Oven Baked Steak Fries

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Speaking of cheese, I wanted to share with you some interesting facts about cheese and crackers. When someone like me needs info, I Google it  or search Wikipedia. What I found was that there is nothing really interesting about them.  Crackers and cheese, while a tasty snack, are boring. UNTIL NOW! Cream cheese with pecans, dried cranberries and a dash of hot sauce layered between deli slices of cheddar is way better than a boring old cheese and cracker tray! These cheese and crackers are ready to have a good time. And they are purty! I loved that I could make them well in advance and cut and arrange them just before serving. This is a yin yang sort of recipe. There is the balance between crunchy and smooth, spicy and mild, salty and sweet. It hits all the right notes. I brought these to my son’s Eagle Court of Honor and they were popular even among the stellar yummy treats the three other moms whose boys were also being recognized had brought.

The next time I made these, I brought them to a dinner party. Usually I warn people to watch what they say about any food that might end up on our blog, because I just might quote them. But before being warned, one guest said he could stay and eat Party Cheese Ribbon Slices all day. He gave me permission to quote him. I could eat them all day long too. I love this combination of flavors. It looks so holidayish. These cheese slices just look like they should be at a party, right? These are so easy to make. After mixing the cream cheese, nuts, dried cranberries and hot sauce, I layered the cream cheese mixture using a cookie scoop.  It was the perfect amount. Then I spread the mixture to the edges of the cheese squares and repeated layering 6 times. This yielded two stacks of cheese. After refrigerating for several hours I took them out and to keep it looking perfect, I trimmed off the raggedy looking edges, cut each stack in half and then into slices.  Those edges are good for pre-party snacking. Of course if you don’t mind raggedy edges or don’t like pre-party snacking, you can skip this step. But I like a little nibble, and these cut off bits are the perfect excuse. Thanks to Buttercream and a Sewing Machine for introducing us to this rockin’ recipe.

Now just set them on a serving plate with crackers and you are ready to go.

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Party Cheese Ribbon Slices

Author Adapted by MadeFromPinterest.net

Ingredients

• 1 8 ounce package of cream cheese softened
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 2 8 ounce packages deli-style cheddar cheese slices about 3 inches square
• Assorted Crackers

Instructions

• Mix cream cheese, hot pepper sauce, pecans and dried cranberries.
• On a piece of aluminum foil place one slice of cheese and spread one cookie scoopful of cream cheese mixture to the edges of the cheese. Repeat layers six times.
• Fold foil around cheese and seal tightly. Refrigerate for 8 hours of overnight. Trim edges, cut in half lengthwise and then widthwise into 1/4 inch slices.

Notes

Makes 4 dozen.

This Pin Rocks!

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There are times when I see a meal that looks great and then I obviously read the recipe.  But if it has too many ingredients that I don’t have,  I bag it.

Oh there are many times when I want to put a lot of effort into what I’m preparing and I like learning new things and trying new recipes, but I would have to say that most of the time, I need easy.

Like when everyone comes home from school, does their homework and needs to eat quickly before heading back out to practices, games, performances, church meetings, etc.,  I need easy.

Or when I myself have a night-time commitment and need to quickly put something in the oven for my family to eat before I have to leave, I need easy.

Well today is all about easy.   Easy comfort food.  Did I mention that it has cheese in it?  Ooey Gooey Easy Cheesy Comfort Food!  Ahh….my favorite kind!

I pinned this recipe from Spend  With Pennies and it will now be on my list of go-to recipes for quick and easy dishes!  You might even have everything in your kitchen to make this right now!

So here we go with the recipe:

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CopyCat Cracker Barrel Cheese and Hash Brown Casserole

Course Casserole

Cuisine American

Author Adapted by MadeFromPinterest.net

Ingredients

• 32 oz Frozen Hash Browns
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 can Cream of Chicken soup
• 1 pint of sour cream
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 cups of a mild cheese
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. While your oven is heating up, mix together the butter, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, onion, cheese and pepper until well blended. Add your hash browns and mix well. I microwaved my hash browns for about 2 minutes before adding to the wet mixture.
• Spoon into a 9x13 pan that has been sprayed with Pam or other cooking spray. Bake uncovered at 350 for 45 minutes.

What did I tell ya?  Easy – right?  We made this tonight with some baked “fried” chicken and it was the perfect side dish….but heck, I would eat this all on it’s own!

So do yourself a favor and go easy on yourself tonight and make this Cracker Barrel Cheese and Hash Brown Casserole.  It’s the easy thing to do.

Easily, This Pin Rocks!

If you are looking for some other great potato recipes, check these out!

Lipton Onion Potatoes

Potatoes with Parmesan

Crash Hot Sweet Potatoes

Here is our Monday Party List!

Sew Can Do – Keeping it Simple – DIY Showoff

This Gal Cooks – Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms – A Pinch of Joy – I Should be Mopping the Floor

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When the movie Napoleon Dynamite came out, my 3 oldest children were teenagers at the time. They thought it was the greatest movie ever, and began quoting the funniest lines from the movie  over and over and over again for months! Which quote  do I remember hearing the most? “Napoleon, give me some of your tots”! Suddenly Tater Tots had a whole new identity!

Poor Napoleon Dynamite, little did he know that his beloved Tater Tots would taste 10 times better stuffed with cheese, wrapped in bacon and baked until crispy! They taste even better when dipped in your choice of sauce. My favorite? Baby Rays Sweet BBQ Sauce……..heaven! No more plain Tater Tots for this girl. These are definitely our new football game snack! Thank you, thank you Wendy Bradley for this awesome appetizer.

This recipe takes Tater Tots to a whole new level – who knew they could ever taste this good? What would I do if I ran into Napoleon Dynamite with Bacon Wrapped Tater Tot Bombs in his pocket?  I’d say “Napoleon, GIVE me some TOTS”! Why would I do a crazy thing like that?

Because this Pin TOTALLY Rocks!

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Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots Bombs

Course Appetizer

Author Adapted By Made From PInterest

Ingredients

• 1/2 bag Tater Tots thawed to room temperature
• 1 8- ounce package Sharp Cheddar Cheese cut in 1/4-inch squares
• Hot Sauce
• 1 16- ounce package Bacon strips cut in half
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar

Instructions

• Preheat over to 400F
• Cube the sharp cheddar cheese in to very small pieces.
• Cut bacon strips in half.
• Cut out a small center portion of a Tater Tot, place cheese cube in the center of the Tater Tot.
• Wrap the Tater Tot and cheese cube in one of the bacon strips that have been cut in half.
• Roll in brown sugar and place in pan seam side down.
• Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, turn each bacon wrapped Tator Tot over to brown the bottom. Bake another 10 to 15 minutes until the bacon is crispy. Cool and serve with your favorite sauce.

Lovely Link Parties: Alderberryhill – DIY Showoff – Keeping it Simple – Artsy Fartsy Momma – Mad in Crafts – Lines Across

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• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
• Unroll the dough onto baking sheet. Use your fingers to spread it out.
• Brush with olive oil.
• Sprinkle with cheese and garlic.
• Sprinkle seasoning on to your liking.
• Bake 12-15 minutes.

—
Mandy from Mandy’s Recipe Box
Mandy’s Recipe Box is on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram
Mandy‘s Recipe Box

Linking with these sites today: House of Hepworth’s, 36th Avenue, Lamberts Lately, Live, Laugh, Rowe, Glued To My Crafts, The Frugal Girls, 52 Mantels, Living Well, Spending Less, Chase The Star

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This went above and beyond my expectations and was so incredibly good.  In fact, it came out so good it made me feel like I must have some Italian blood in my body because now I can officially make Ricotta Cheese.  I know you didn’t hear me, but I just said “Ricotta Cheese” in an Italian accent.  Bellisima!  I have no clue what that means, but I can say it now that I am part Italian.

Here’s the lineup of what you will need:  Whole milk, buttermilk, heavy whipping cream, a fine mesh strainer, some coarse salt and some cheesecloth:

First line your strainer with the cheesecloth.  I layered it with four layers and set it in a bowl:

Then in a large saucepan, add 4 cups of milk, 1 cup of buttermilk and 1/3 cup heavy cream.  On medium heat, bring to a boil until it reaches 185 degrees.  In the recipe, it says that if you don’t have a candy thermometer, not to  worry because you will be able to see the curds separate from the whey.  My candy thermometer is broken so I winged it.  The recipe says that it will take 10 minutes or less for the separation to take place and it took exactly 10 minutes. Booyah!  After the curds (solid white parts) have separated from the whey (cloudy liquid part) take a slotted spoon and spoon the mixture onto your cheesecloth sprinkling with a little salt every couple spoonfuls or so.

Now you can either let this drain in a bowl or if you want to really impress your family members, you can fashionably tie it to your faucet and allow the extra whey to drip out in your sink.

Let drain for about 5 minutes and then you’ve got THEE. BEST. RICOTTA. CHEESE. EVER.

I snuck a taste before it even really cooled down and was immediately addicted!  I can’t express enough how amazing this tasted.

This Ricotta Cheese needs no fancying up.  It is incredible just as it is.  Trust me. It is Fantastico!  That’s Italian for fantastic in case you aren’t Italian.  Like me.

It’s no surprise to report that Questo pin rocks! 

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Make Your Own Fresh Ricotta Cheese

Course Cheese

Author Framed Cooks

Ingredients

• 4 cups whole milk
• One cup buttermilk
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• Coarse salt

Instructions

• Line a fine mesh strainer with several folds of cheesecloth and set it in your sink.
• Combine milk, buttermilk and cream in medium heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil until cooking thermometer registers 185 degrees...if you don't have a thermometer, keep an eye on it to see when the curds (the solid white parts) are mostly separated from the whey (the cloudy liquid). This will take about 10 minutes...stir a couple of times during the boiling process.
• Remove from heat and using a slotted spot, scoop spoonfuls of the curd into the cheesecloth-lined strainer, sprinkling with a little salt every few spoonfuls or so.
• Let the ricotta drain for about 5 minutes and then taste to check the consistency. If you like it drier, then let it drain a little more. If you like it moister, stir in a tablespoon or two of milk. This ricotta is best used right away, but will keep for a day or two in the fridge.

Check out these sites that we are excited to link with today!

Southern Lovely – DIY Crafty Projects – Lady Behind the Curtain – And Sew We Craft – Ginger Snap Crafts – Lil Luna – Real Coake – Daisy Cottage Designs – Kitchen Meets Girl – Housewives of Riverton

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My favorite part of this dish is the bread crumbs on top. I love the crunchy buttery flavor and texture.

The cheese sauce?  Fantastic, it would also be great in a crockpot used for dip with veggie’s, bread, crackers etc. (I just used a spoon)!

The nutmeg is what I think causes this recipe to stand out from the rest. It gives the dish

a unique taste without you really knowing its nutmeg. I was worried about the cayenne pepper being to strong, it

turned out to be fine. Combine the dish with a crunchy salad and veggie and you have the perfect meal.

The verdict on Martha’s culinary skills……

This Pin ROCKS!

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Martha Stewart's Creamy Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons 1 stick unsalted butter, plus more for casserole
• 6 slices white bread crusts removed, torn into 1/4- to l/2-inch pieces
• 5 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt plus more for water
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 1/2 cups about 18 ounces grated sharp white cheddar cheese
• 2 cups about 8 ounces grated Gruyère or 1 1/4 cups (about 5 ounces) grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• Gluten Free Substitutions:
• GF Bread
• GF Flour I used cornstarch
• GF Pasta I used Ancient Harvest Quinoa Elbow Macaroni

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Place the bread in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour the melted butter into the bowl with the bread, and toss. Set the breadcrumbs aside.
• Warm the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt the remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When the butter bubbles, add the flour. Cook, stirring, 1 minute.
• While whisking, slowly pour in the hot milk a little at a time to keep mixture smooth. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick, 8 to 12 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar cheese, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyère (or 1 cup Pecorino Romano); set the cheese sauce aside.
• Cover a large pot of salted water, and bring to a boil. Cook the macaroni until the outside of pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir the macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Gruyère (or 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano), and the breadcrumbs over the top. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes (though we needed a bit more time to get it brown, but your oven may vary). Transfer the dish to a wire rack for 5 minutes; serve.

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