Servings: 8

1 pound pulled pork, prepared 1 pound pulled pork, prepared
1 lb pasta such as elbows or shells, cooked 1 lb pasta such as elbows or shells, cooked
BBQ sauce to drizzle on top (optional) BBQ sauce to drizzle on top (optional)
Parsley for garnish optional Parsley for garnish optional
Topping: subheading: Topping:
2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs ⅔ cup panko breadcrumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan Romano cheese ⅓ cup grated Parmesan Romano cheese
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic
salt and pepper, to taste salt and pepper, to taste
Macaroni and Cheese: subheading: Macaroni and Cheese:
3 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour or gluten-free flour 3 tablespoons flour or gluten-free flour
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon ground mustard 1 teaspoon ground mustard
2 cups heavy cream 2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk 1 cup milk
8 ounces gouda 8 ounces gouda
8 ounces sharp cheddar 8 ounces sharp cheddar
Nutmeg to taste Nutmeg to taste
Salt and pepper to taste Salt and pepper to taste

To Make the Topping: subheading: To Make the Topping:
In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the Panko bread crumbs and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle on the granulated garlic then add the Parmesan Romano grated cheese. Use a spatula to move the mixture around the pan so that it all gets toasted. Remove from the heat and set aside.
To Make the Cheese Sauce: subheading: To Make the Cheese Sauce:
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
Slowly drizzle in the milk, whisking constantly. Then add the cream and continue to whisk.
Use a microplane to grate the nutmeg. I use about a ½ teaspoon.
Add the granulated garlic, and ground mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Reserve about 2 ounces of cheese for the topping.
When the cream mixture is very warm, begin adding the cheese about ¼ cup at a time. Whisk well after each addition and make sure the cheese is melted before adding the next batch.
After the cheese is all incorporated, taste for seasoning and add additional salt and pepper as needed. You can also add a pinch of cayenne pepper if you would like to give your cheese sauce a little kick.
Use a spatula or wooden spoon to fold the pasta into the cheese sauce.
To Assemble the Dish: subheading: To Assemble the Dish:
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9×12 baking dish. Put the pulled pork on the bottom.
Spoon the mac and cheese over the pulled pork in the prepared baking dish.
Sprinkle the top of the mac and cheese with the reserved cheese, then add the bread crumb topping.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven and let it sit 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Drizzle on a little barbecue sauce just before serving. (optional)