macaroni and cheese with sausage and pears

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• cooking spray
• 1 (8 ounce) package elbow macaroni
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 onion, chopped
• 2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, or as needed
• 3 cups milk
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• ground black pepper to taste
• 1 (12 ounce) package fully-cooked sausage, sliced
• 1 pear - peeled, cored, and sliced
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs

Recipe

Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 50 mins Ready Time: 1 hr 5 mins


• preheat oven to 350 degrees f (175 degrees c). spray a 3-quart casserole dish with cooking spray.
• bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes. drain macaroni and transfer to the prepared casserole dish.
• heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir onions in the melted butter until partially translucent, about 5 minutes. whisk in flour until paste-like consistency, 3 to 5 minutes. slowly stream in milk, stirring constantly, until flour mixture is incorporated, about 5 minutes. stir in cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese until completely melted and and sauce has thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.
• pour cheese sauce into macaroni; stir to coat. season with black pepper. stir in sausage.
• reserve 4 slices of pears; dice remaining pear slices and stir into macaroni mixture. arrange the reserved slices atop macaroni mixture.
• stir 2 tablespoons melted butter and bread crumbs together in a small bowl; sprinkle over macaroni mixture.
• bake in the preheated oven until cheese is bubbling and topping is lightly browned, about 30 minutes.