Macaroni & Cheese (Carnie Wilson)

Stuff You Need:
3-1/2 cups large elbow macaroni
10 oz. Velveeta cheese, cut into 1" squares
10 oz. white Vermont cheddar cheese, cut into 1" squares
15 oz. Gruyère cheese, shredded
1-1/2 cups of jack and cheddar cheese (combined), shredded
4 oz. cream cheese (at room temp.)
2/3 cup sour cream
1-1/3 cups heavy cream
1-1/3 cups half-and-half
1 egg
2-2/3 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dry mustard powder
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. nutmeg (fresh if you have it)
1 tsp. kosher salt
A pinch of paprika
1 Tbsp. fresh chives (for garnish)

Serves 10.

Hit It:

Smile. Know that you're about to prepare the best mac and cheese ever!

1. Grease a 13" x 9" nonstick metal baking pan with 1 Tbsp butter. Preheat oven to 350. Prepare macaroni according to the package directions, but make sure it's al dente Drain pasta well and pour into the baking pan.

2. In a large mixing bowl, add the heavy cream, half-and-half, and sour cream; break the cream cheese into little bits with your (clean!) fingers as you add it to the bowl. Add the egg, flour, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and onion powders, dry mustard, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg; combine very well with a wire whisk to break up that cream cheese. It will look lumpy, but that's okay.

3. Starting at the corners of the pasta dish, place and push down the Velveeta and white Vermont cheddar cubes. Work your way around and toward the middle (they won't push down completely, but just smoosh them down a bit). Now sprinkle the fabulous Gruyère cheese evenly over the top -- gently and evenly pour on that artery-clogging mixture, covering all areas. Gently shake the pan afterwards for a sec to make sure the liquid is even. I know it sounds gross, but push down and make little holes into areas of the mixture with your fingers. (You're just getting some of that Gruyère down deeper below the surface.) Wash your hands!

4. Sprinkle the jack-and-cheddar combo over the mixture and sprinkle the paprika on top. Put this baby in the oven (make sure your oven rack is right in the middle) and bake until brown and bubbly -- approximately 30 minutes. It will be creamy in the center and more crusty on the top and edges. Chop some fresh chives and get those taste buds ready. When it's done, garnish with the chives.