Name: Toxic Waste Mac and Cheese
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
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**))

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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!

Green macaroni and cheese in a black paint container with a black serving spoon sticking out the right side.

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!! My newest Halloween recipe is almost as creepy: Spooky Halloween Chili!

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…..

A metal paint container spray painted black with green painters tape around the top edge.

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…..

Melted butter and flour sizzling in a large pan.

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.

Milk, onion powder, paprika, cayenne and mustard powder added to the pot.

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.

Grated cheese added to the thickened milk mixture.

Add the drained spinach, stir to combine.

Drained spinach mixed into the cheese mixture.

Nope, not green enough for me…add a few drops of green food coloring if desired.

Dark green food coloring added to the cheese and spinach mixture.

Hello Gorgeous!! Add the drained pasta and stir until completely coated.

Cooked shell shaped pasta added to the green cheese mixture.

Stir in the steamed cauliflower**, and serve immediately.

Green macaroni and cheese in a small black cauldron with a furry rat in the background.

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

Green macaroni and cheese in a small black cauldron with a furry rat peering over the edge and a black spider in the background.

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…..

A large plastic zipper topped bag in the painted pain can with an upside down bowl in the center.

#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…..

Cooked chunks of cauliflower sits on top of a layer of green macaroni and cheese in the paint can.

and it looks like this when it’s done.

Green macaroni and cheese in a black paint container.

Serve with Halloween Feet Loaf for an extra special meal!!

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 Electric Green (updated)
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!!