Creole-Style Shrimp Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) box elbow macaroni
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 12 ounces uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning (such as Tony Chachere's®)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 tablespoon Creole mustard

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the elbow macaroni and cook it until it’s tender but still has a bit of bite, about 8 minutes. While the pasta is cooking, melt a tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Toss in the shrimp, sprinkle with Creole seasoning, and cook, stirring often, for about 4 minutes. Then add the garlic and keep cooking until the shrimp turn pink, which should take another couple of minutes. Turn off the heat and set the shrimp aside.

Step 2

Once the pasta is done, drain it and give it a quick rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Set it aside while you make the cheese sauce. Put the empty pasta pot back on the stove and melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 2 minutes until it’s smooth and combined. Slowly pour in the half-and-half, heating it for around 3 minutes until it starts to thicken.

Step 3

Stir in the cheeses and keep whisking until everything melts together nicely, which usually takes about 5 minutes. Add the mustard and let it cook for another couple of minutes before turning off the heat. Finally, stir the cooked macaroni and shrimp into the cheese sauce until everything is warmed through. Serve it up right away and enjoy!