Red Carpet Mac & Cheese Broccoli Cupcakes

It’s Oscar’s time! Red Carpet. Hollywood Glamour.

Are you planning an awards party this year?  Here is a fun treat for you to nibble on while you admire  showstopping wardrobes and wait for the … ” and the Oscar goes to…”

Red Carpet Mac & Cheese Broccoli Cupcakes

Mac & Cheese Broccoli Cupcakes(12 cupcakes)
1cup  dry small elbow pasta
2 cups frozen – thawed broccoli, chopped finely (if you wish to omit broccoli, use another 1 cup dry small elbow pasta instead)
1/4cup onion, chopped finely
1tsp olive oil
1tbl butter + 1tsp oil
1 heaping tablespoon  of flour
1 1/4cup fat free milk
1/4 cup chicken broth(if you don’t have chicken broth, use milk)
1 1/4 cup finely shredded hard cheese(I used Italian Blend, straight from the package)
2egg yolks
2egg whites
salt and pepper
 
Topping
1/3 cup plain fine breadcrumbs
1/3 finely grated hard cheese
1/4tsp red paprika
1tbl butter
pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper

Decoration – Cheese Stars
3 slices of  hard  cheese, I used Edam Square, Gouda would work just as well
Small star cookie cutter -The Cookie Cutter Shop
Wilton Gold Star Sprinkles.-they are tasteless so I used them on the cheese to add a little glamour.

• Preheat oven to 350F line muffin pan with red foil cupcake liners.
• In a bowl combine breadcrumbs, cheese, paprika, butter, salt and pepper. Use a fork to work the butter into the dry ingredients, set aside.
• Cook pasta al dente, according to box directions, drain and set aside.
• Sautee onion, add chopped broccoli season with pepper. Cook just until heated through. Set aside.
• Heat butter and olive oil in the pan, add flour and stir to prevent burning, cook for 2 minutes stirring constantly, remove from the heat.  gradually add milk, whisking until smooth. Add chicken broth.Remove about 1/2 of the mixture and add egg yolks stirring well. Add egg yolk mixture to the milk mixture andr return to heat and bring mixture to boil, stirring.
• Add cheese, stir until cheese is melted.
• To cheese mixture add pasta and broccoli.Stir well. Season with salt and pepper. Taste.
• Beategg whites until medium stiff peaks are formed.
• Fold whipped egg whites into the cheese pasta mixture.
• Divide pasta mixture into muffin pan, you can pile it up as it won’t rise.
• Sprinkle about 1 to 2 tsp of breadcrumb topping onto the pasta mixture.
• Bake for about 20 minutes, or until tops start to get lightly golden.
• Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer Mac &Cheese Broccoli Cupcakes onto the cooling rack. Enjoy at warm or at room temperature.
• You can make these a day ahead and reheat them before serving.

Decorate Cupcakes with Cheese Stars
To decorate cupcakes cut out small cheese stars from cheese slices and sprinkle some gold star sprinkles on them. Put the star on each cupcake and enjoy.

Aren’t they glamorous?