Introduction On day 13 we have a mustard Gouda with caramelized onion cheddar mac and cheese. Using Cheese in mac and cheese When you take a bite of cheese, pay attention to where the flavor comes through. Does the flavor hit immediately but fade away? These are opener cheeses. Does it take a few seconds to develop but carry through to the end? These are closer cheeses. Well-rounded mac and cheese recipes make use of both opener and closer ingredients so that the flavor carries throughout the end of the bite. Mustard Gouda Gouda is a bit of an anomaly on the opener/closer spectrum. Younger aged Gouda, like we see in the Aldi advent calendar, are almost always opener cheeses. But when a Gouda is aged for a longer period of time, it crosses the threshold into closer territory. It’s important to taste a Gouda before committing to a pairing to make sure you are striking the right balance. Mustard helps bring out cheesiness and is a great ingredient for any mac and cheese. Caramelized Onion Cheddar Trader Joe’s has this great caramelized onion cheddar. It has a ton of flavor and is amazing in a mac and cheese Cheddar flavors open up this cheese while the bold caramelized onion finishes out the bite. It melts beautifully and is mac and cheese perfection. Rotini Pasta in mustard Gouda and caramelized onion cheddar mac and cheese Pasta will make or break your mac and cheese dish. If your noodle shape is too large, you run the risk of your meal being cumbersome and difficult to eat. On the other hand, if your pasta is too small, your pasta can become a soupy mess. Beginner mac and cheese chefs will note that small pasta will more easily show defects in your sauce. Rotini is a great mac and cheese vehicle. It sits perfectly between too large and too small, and the ridges offer plenty of pockets to hold onto the sauce making every bite full of cheesy flavor. Toppings The right blend of toppings can elevate your mac and cheese from good to great. Toppings add extra pops of color, texture, and flavor that you won’t otherwise get from just cheese sauce and noodles. I topped this recipe with a dollop of onion chutney from Aldi. It’s onion-y, slightly sweet, and a beautiful garnish. For an extra crunch, I added some crispy onions. These are great to keep on hand for adding some texture and flavor to mac and cheese. Reheating mustard Gouda and caramelized onion cheddar mac and cheese This recipe reheats beautifully. A minute or two in the microwave and you’ll have perfectly delicious mac and cheese. In fact, if you give your ingredients a day or two to mingle in the fridge you’ll have even better pasta than you did the day before. Add a fork Caramelized onion cheddar and mustard Gouda mac and cheese topped With onion chutney and crispy onions is perfect for a side, entree, or any day you’re feeling some cheesy goodness.