Buffalo Gluten Free Mac and Cheese

The other day I made the best, BEST mac and cheese. And it was all gluten free too. Score! 

I found this recipe, and altered it to make it gluten free, as well as a few tweaks of my own.

It turned out to be so creamy, with a bit of tang and a hint of smokey flavor.

• I paired it with fresh steamed broccoli and tomatoes with basil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Mmmmmm. It reminded me of summer.

**Always remember that it is SO easy to take a recipe and make it Gluten Free! I rarely look up GF recipes any more. No recipe is off limits. There is always a way to make some sort of version of the same thing, but GF. So don't be afraid to experiment; its usually worth it!

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups water, plus extra if needed
• 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
• 12 ounces (about 3 cups) of Gluten Free elbow macaroni
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
• 6 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
• 1 cup feta cheese
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small chunks
• 2-3 dashes of liquid smoke
• Chives and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Bring 3 1/2 cups water, 1 cup of the evaporated milk, the macaroni, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a simmer in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat. Cook at a vigorous simmer, stirring often, until the macaroni is tender and the liquid has thickened, 9 to 12 minutes.
2. Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup evaporated milk, the cornstarch, mustard, hot sauce and liquid smoke together in a small bowl, then stir into the skillet. Continue to simmer slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
3. Off the heat, stir in the cheddar and feta, one handful at a time, adding water as needed to adjust the consistency of the sauce (I didn’t end up using any additional water). Stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. *Optional: Pour mac and cheese into a 9x13 casserole dish, sprinkle chives and then broil until golden brown. Serve immediately.