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This Toxic Waste Mac and Cheese is disgustingly delicious and actually quite healthy. It's perfect meal during the Halloween season, and the kids will love eating it!
Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. It's dark and creepy {at least at my house} and allows you to go all out crazy with decorations and crazy foods.
Doesn't that look disgusting?? But guess what? It is soooo delicious, your kids will eat it up and ask for more!!
How to make a Toxic Waste food container:
I am going to start with the adventure part of this meal...the toxic waste container. {completely optional} I bought an empty paint can, like this one here, and painted it black with a single coat of flat black spray paint.....
I added the painter's tape around the upper rim to keep the paint on the outside of the can. Make it as dark as you like, or make it neon orange, whatever works for you.
I was going to paint a Bio-hazard symbol on the side, but there is a storm coming in and I was loosing daylight!
Okay the recipe it's self is pretty easy, we're basically making Homemade Macaroni and Cheese...with some ugly additions.
How to make Toxic Waste Mac and Cheese:
Melt butter in a large pan/Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk to combine. Simmer, stirring constantly for 1 to 2 minutes.....
This is the part that thickens the sauce.
Pour in the milk and whisk to combine and remove all lumps. Add the salt, pepper, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, and mustard, stir to combine.
Continue cooking until mixture starts to simmer, 6 to 8 minutes.
Remove from heat and add the grated cheese. Stir until melted and completely combined.
Add the drained spinach, stir to combine.
Nope, not green enough for me...add a few drops of green food coloring if desired.
Hello Gorgeous!! Add the drained pasta and stir until completely coated.
Stir in the steamed cauliflower**, and serve immediately.
It actually turned out a lot brighter than I was expecting/hoping for....but it still looks pretty nasty, so I'm happy with it...and it's even critter approved, lol
Did you notice that he was inching closer and closer in each image? Sorry, I couldn't resist, LOL
Recipe Notes....lots of notes:
#1 - my paint can came lined with some obnoxious smelling coating that I can pretty much guarantee is not food safe!! {I bought my can at Lowe's} So I decided to line my can with a large zipper top bag.....
#2 - this is a one gallon can, this is not a one gallon recipe. I added TWO upside down bowls to the bottom of the liner to fill in the space. You could also double or triple the recipe for a party. 😉
#3 - I wanted my cauliflower to sit near the top and look like those foamy bubbles you always see on T.V., so I added them last and barely tossed them to coat with the sauce.....
and it looks like this when it's done.
More Recipe Notes & Tips:
- I added the chopped parsley out of habit, but it is not necessary.
- Even with the two bowls, I wasn't enough to "overflow" the can but you guys get the idea.
- The zipper bag was trimmed so the zipper was no longer visible, it needed to be blog photo worthy. I will be ordering an unlined can before I make this again.
- I used Americolor Soft Gel Paste in Leaf Green
- Medium Shell pasta was used to make it look bumpy and less like macaroni and cheese. If you use a different shape let me know, I would love to see how it turns out!
- I used Vermont sharp white cheddar cheese so it would be easier to turn it green, and it's still lactose-free.
Additional green Halloween recipes:
I may be a bit obsessed with the color green. 😉
Enjoy!!
Toxic Waste Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- .25 cup unsalted butter
- .33 cup all-purpose flour
- 2.5 cups whole milk (or Half & Half - I used Unsweetened CashewMilk)
- 0.5 teaspoon sea salt
- .25 teaspoon ground black pepper
- .25 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon dry mustard powder
- 1/16 teaspoon cayenne pepper (add more if desired)
- 8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese (grated)
- 1 package frozen spinach (thawed and drained)
- green food coloring
- 1 pound dry pasta (cooked and drained - I used medium shells)
- 1 head fresh cauliflower (cut and steamed**)
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large pan/Dutch oven over medium-low heat.
- Add the flour and whisk to combine. Simmer, stirring constantly for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Pour in the milk and whisk to combine and remove all lumps.
- Add the salt, pepper, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, and mustard, stir to combine.
- Continue cooking until mixture starts to simmer, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add the grated cheese. Stir until melted and completely combined.
- Add the drained spinach, stir to combine. Add a few drops of green food coloring if desired.
- Add the drained pasta and stir until completely coated.
- Stir in the steamed cauliflower, and serve immediately. **I left my cauliflower in large chunks and waited until the very end to add them so they would stay whole, and so they would look creepier sitting near the top.
Notes
- I added the chopped parsley out of habit, but it is not necessary.
- Even with the two bowls, I wasn’t enough to “overflow” the can but you guys get the idea.
- I trimmed the zipper bag so the zipper was no longer visible, it needed to be blog photo worthy. I will be ordering an unlined can before I make this again.
- I used Americolor Soft Gel Paste in Leaf Green
- I chose Medium Shell pasta to make it look bumpy and less like macaroni and cheese. If you use a different shape let me know, I would love to see how it turns out!
- I used Vermont sharp white cheddar cheese so it would be easier to turn it green, and it’s still lactose-free.
Seana Turner says
I just love this kind of stuff. I miss having kids around to make this for - I TOTALLY would have made this for dinner when my girls were here. I tried every year. Maybe I will just have some friends over and go for it anyway... too fun not to. Pinning!
Lisa Johnson says
You should make it for your friends Seana, they would get a kick out of it! I wish there was Pinterest when my kids were little, that really would have come in handy. 🙂
natalie says
Do you think I could make the sauce a day ahead of time and then just heat it up and add the pasta? This looks fun!
Lisa Johnson says
Hi Natalie, I honestly have no idea. In theory that should work, but I have never tried it before. If it works you will have to come back and let me know!
Aireanna says
Out of this world creative, definitely going to make this. Thks for the idea!
A.S says
looks disgusting
doyle says
Made this recipe for Halloween this year and it turned out really well. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Geri Leyva says
Well i have to say just adding the rat creeping up to the pot in each picture made me laugh out loud and I am now a fan.
Libby says
ziplock bags aren't safe for hot foods either. All plastic has VOC and will degas when heated.
Jaclyn Resendez says
This was perfect for our Halloween spread! Wish I could post a pic of how it turned out.
Lisa Johnson says
I am so happy you liked it Jaclyn!!
Kelly L Beyer says
I made this in a lined crockpot without spinach and with regular food coloring. Turned out much lighter in color but still disgustingly delicious. Added oregano for the green flecks.
Lisa Johnson says
Thanks so much for the idea, Kelly!