This recipe pays tribute to the amazing French ham and cheese sandwich of the same name.  I’ve made croque monsieurs and madames and they are both delicious sandwiches, so there was no possible way that this could be anything less than incredible!  It was more than incredible.  It was life altering and something I will definitely make again, but not regularly since gruyere cheese is not exactly cheap.  I think it was something like $13.99 per pound at my grocery store, but can apparently set you back even more if you order it from this artisanal cheese site.  Yikes.  You could use Swiss cheese and it would be just as good.

This macaroni and cheese contains all the required ingredients to earn the name croque monsieur; ham, gruyere cheese and crusty bread.  Thank you Food Network Magazine for this incredibly yummy dish.  The flavors are great and the topping of big bread crumbs is perfection.  I used a ham steak with good results.  The slices of ham along with the gooey cheese and tender ziti in this mac and cheese made for a great dinner along with a nice green salad.

Croque Monsieur Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

• ½  pound ziti
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups coarsely grated gruyere cheese(about 6 ounces)
• 1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese (about 4 ounces)
• 2 large eggs
• 3 slices white sandwich bread, roughly diced
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• Kosher salt
• 8 ounces thinly sliced deli-boiled ham

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the ziti and cook until al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl; toss with 1/4 cup milk.
2. Meanwhile, combine both cheeses in a bowl. Beat 1/4 cup milk and the eggs in another bowl; fold in the bread and add half of the cheese.
3. Melt the butter in a saucepan over high heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until just brown, 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour, cayenne, nutmeg and 1 teaspoon Kosher salt; cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Slowly add 3/4 cup water and the remaining 1 1/2 cups milk; bring to a boil, stirring until thickened. Remove from the heat and whisk to cool slightly. Whisk in the remaining cheese, then add the pasta and toss.
4. Butter a shallow casserole dish. Add half of the pasta, top with some of the ham and cover with the remaining pasta. Top with the remaining ham, then cover with the bread mixture. Bake until golden and bubbly, about 20 minutes. Let rest a few minutes before serving.

This recipe came from the Southern Food section on about.com and I found it easy and delicious.  The end product is a cross between creamy mac and cheese and a casserole.  I loved the green chile flavor and the toasty breadcrumbs on top.  I served this with a little sour cream on the side and sprinkled it with some chopped cilantro.

I used half cheddar and half queso quesadilla in this macaroni with great results.  Creamy, cheesy, a bit spicy and incredibly yummy.  If you have fresh roasted green chiles, then you must used them in this dish.  I used canned and it was good, so fresh would be crazy good.  I also used a 7-ounce can of chopped green chiles instead of the measly 4 ounces called for in this recipe.

Green Chile Macaroni and Cheese

• 8 ounces elbow macaroni
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup green jalapeno salsa
• 1 can (4 ounces) mild chopped green chile peppers
• 2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeno peppers, canned or fresh, optional
• 8 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, about 2 cups
• salt, to taste
• 3 to 4 tablespoons chopped cilantro, optional
• 1 cup fresh finely ground bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons butter
• paprika

1. Heat oven to 350°. Grease a 2-quart baking dish.
2. Cook macaroni in boiling salted water following package directions. Drain and rinse well.
3. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the 4 tablespoons of butter. Stir in flour and pepper until well blended and bubbly. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in salsa, chile peppers, and cheese. Cook, stirring, until cheese is melted. Taste and add salt, as needed. Combine with the drained macaroni; stir in cilantro, if using. Spoon into the prepared baking dish.
4. Combine 2 tablespoons melted butter with the bread crumbs and sprinkle over the macaroni and cheese. Sprinkle lightly with paprika.
5. Bake for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned and bubbly.
   Serves 4 to 6.