Sizzling Steak Bites Meet Creamy Mac ‘n’ Cheese: A Culinary Delight at UCSD!

As an enthusiastic cheese aficionado, I am constantly on the lookout for innovative ways to enhance my cheese experience. Not long ago, while scrolling through Instagram Reels, I came across a recipe featuring macaroni and cheese adorned with garlic steak bites. I thought to myself, “This seems like it would definitely obliterate my lactose-intolerant stomach and leave me incapacitated for some time. I need to try making this!” So, I rang up my friends, persuaded them to accompany me to Trader Joe’s, made a quick stop to purchase their newly released cheese tote bag, and returned home with nearly everything needed for the recipe — well, almost everything. I am now realizing as I compose this that I forgot to get parsley for garnishing. I suspected I had overlooked something.

Following the recipe was relatively straightforward. I prepared the macaroni pasta according to the package directions and, while that was boiling, I mixed two 8-ounce bags of cheese with 16 ounces of evaporated milk in a pot. After blending everything, I seasoned it with black pepper, salt, paprika, and garlic powder. Subsequently, I incorporated the macaroni, transferred it into a baking dish, and baked it in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 25 minutes.

However, the steak component made me apprehensive. I had never prepared beef before, but I figured, why not? If I can successfully create a whole ham for my friendsgiving, making some steak bites should be attainable. All I had to do was season the meat with onion powder, salt, pepper, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. I also included some minced garlic because, even though the recipe suggested to wait a little longer to add it, I felt it would be beneficial to include it early on. Let’s call it chef’s instinct! After allowing it to marinate for about 10 minutes, I grilled it in a hot skillet until the meat reached approximately medium (ish) doneness. The timing turned out to be perfect because just as I removed the steak from the skillet, my oven timer for the macaroni and cheese rang. It was finally time to serve everything and enjoy.

The recipe yielded four generous plates, along with about half a baking dish of extra macaroni. Two of my friends rated the dish an 8 out of 10, while the third friend (my favorite) was a bit more generous and awarded it an 8.5. Therefore, I would say it was a quite commendable dish. Does my lactose intolerance concur? Not really. Regardless of what the repercussions might be this evening, it was delectable, and against my better judgment, I will definitely be making it again.