Shelly's Recipe

TILLAMOOK CRAB & MACARONI BAKE

Category: Pasta - Baked

10 oz rotini pasta
3 tbsp butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper and granulated garlic
3/4 tsp garlic and herb Old Bay seasoning
4 oz cream cheese and grated Medium Cheddar cheese,
6 oz Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper
2 tbsp finely chopped yellow onion
1 tbsp finely chopped shallots
3 tbsp chopped cilantro
8 oz fresh crabmeat

3 slices white bread
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic and herb Old Bay seasoning

Preheat oven to 375. Boil pasta in salted water until tender, drain and set aside.

Place slices of bread on baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with seasoning, and bake for 5-7 minutes until golden brown. Turn over and bake an additional 5 minutes until golden on both sides. Remove from oven and let cool.

Melt butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add flour and whisk until smooth. Continue stirring butter and flour mixture over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until it has a slightly nutty aroma. Pour in milk while whisking and whisk until smooth. Cook while stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes until mixture thickens. Add seasonings. Add cream cheese and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and add the grated cheddar and Monterey jack cheese.

Stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in peppers, onions, shallots, and cilantro. Stir in pasta and gently fold in crab meat. Spray a large shallow (12 inch x 1 1/2 inch) ceramic casserole dish with pan spray. Pour in filling and spread out evenly. Grate toasted bread slices and sprinkle over filling. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and bubbling around the edge. Serves 8 as an entree with a side salad.