Today I want to share my experience of making macaroni and cheese, inspired by the California Pizza Kitchen. I’ve always loved their food, especially their pizzas, but this time I decided to try something different. I’ve had their mac and cheese before, and it was pretty good, so I thought, why not try to make it myself?
Getting Started
First things first, I needed to gather all the ingredients. The main thing, of course, is the cheese. From what I could find, it seemed like Velveeta cheese was a good choice, so I grabbed a big block of that – about 18 oz., to be exact. Then, I picked up some macaroni, milk, butter, and some basic seasonings like salt and pepper. I also decided to add some herbs like parsley and thyme because why not, right?
The Cooking Process
I started by cooking the macaroni according to the package directions. While that was going, I melted some butter in a large pot. Once the butter was all melted and bubbly, I added some flour to make a roux. I whisked that together until it was smooth and cooked it for a couple of minutes. Then, I slowly poured in the milk, whisking constantly to avoid any lumps. It took a while, but eventually, the mixture started to thicken up nicely.
Next came the best part – adding the cheese! I cut the Velveeta into cubes and tossed them into the pot. I stirred everything together until the cheese was completely melted and the sauce was smooth and creamy. It smelled amazing at this point, I’m not gonna lie. I seasoned the sauce with some salt, pepper, and a pinch of the dried herbs I had picked out earlier. I tasted it and adjusted the seasonings a bit until I was happy with the flavor.
Putting It All Together
Once the macaroni was cooked and drained, I added it to the cheese sauce and gave it a good stir to make sure every piece of pasta was coated. It looked so cheesy and delicious, I could barely wait to dig in. To add a little flair, I sprinkled some fresh parsley on top for garnish.
The Final Result
Finally, it was time to try my homemade California Pizza Kitchen-style macaroni and cheese. I scooped a big portion onto a plate and took a bite. And man, it was good! It was rich, creamy, and had that perfect cheesy flavor. The herbs added a nice touch, too. It definitely reminded me of the mac and cheese I’ve had at the restaurant, but dare I say, it might have been even better because I made it myself!
Overall, I’m really happy with how this turned out. It was a fun cooking experiment, and the result was totally worth it. I’ll definitely be making this again. If you’re a fan of California Pizza Kitchen or just love a good mac and cheese, I highly recommend giving this a try. It’s a bit of work, but trust me, it’s worth it!
