Creamy Four-Cheese Mac & Cheese, Crispy Buffalo Wings, Buffalo Sauce, and Ranch

Ingredients

• 1 lb elbow macaroni or cavatappi (Use either pasta shape.)
• 225 g sharp cheddar (Freshly shred; reserve some for topping.)
• 225 g Monterey Jack (Freshly shred; reserve some for topping.)
• 225 g whole-milk mozzarella (Freshly shred; reserve some for topping.)
• 115 g Gruyère (Freshly shred; reserve some for topping.)
• 55 g unsalted butter
• 35 g all-purpose flour
• 2 cup whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 0.75 tsp garlic powder (For the mac and cheese.)
• 0.75 tsp onion powder (For the mac and cheese.)
• 0.75 tsp mustard powder
• 0.5 tsp smoked paprika (For the mac and cheese.)
• 0.25 tsp black pepper (For the mac and cheese.)
• salt (To taste; for the mac and cheese.)
• 4 lb chicken wings
• 4 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
• 1.75 tsp salt (For the wings.)
• 1.75 tsp garlic powder (For the wings.)
• 1.5 tsp onion powder (For the wings.)
• 1.75 tsp smoked paprika (For the wings.)
• 1 tsp black pepper (For the wings.)
• 0.5 cup unsalted butter (For the Buffalo sauce.)
• 0.75 cup cayenne pepper hot sauce (Store-bought sauce may be used instead of homemade Buffalo sauce.)
• 1 tbsp honey (For the Buffalo sauce.)
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (For the Buffalo sauce.)
• 0.5 tsp garlic powder (For the Buffalo sauce.)
• 0.5 cup avocado oil mayonnaise (Store-bought ranch may be used instead of homemade ranch.)
• 0.5 cup sour cream (For the ranch.)
• 0.5 cup buttermilk (For the ranch.)
• 1 tsp dried dill (For the ranch.)
• 1 tsp dried parsley (For the ranch.)
• 0.5 tsp garlic powder (For the ranch.)
• 0.5 tsp onion powder (For the ranch.)
• 1 tsp lemon juice (For the ranch.)
• salt (To taste; for the ranch.)
• black pepper (To taste; for the ranch.)

Steps

1. 1

   For the ranch, whisk the avocado oil mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, dried dill, dried parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste together until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

2. 2

   Pat the chicken wings completely dry.

3. 3

   Toss the wings with the baking powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and black pepper until evenly coated.

4. 4

   Arrange the seasoned wings on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. If time permits, let them sit uncovered in the refrigerator for 4–12 hours; the source notes this is crucial for crispy skin.

5. 5

   Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the macaroni for 6 minutes, until just shy of al dente. Drain.

6. 6

   Melt the butter for the mac and cheese, then whisk in the flour.

7. 7

   Gradually whisk in the whole milk and heavy cream to make the sauce.

8. 8

   Season the sauce to taste with the listed garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt.

9. 9

   Stir in most of the freshly shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, and Gruyère, adding the cheese a handful at a time. Stir until smooth; reserve some cheese for the topping.

10. 10

    Fold the cooked pasta into the cheese sauce, then transfer the mixture to a baking dish.

11. 11

    Top with the remaining shredded cheese.

12. 12

    Bake the mac and cheese at 350°F (175°C) for 15–20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

13. 13

    Bake the wings at 425°F (220°C) for 45–55 minutes, flipping them halfway, until crispy and cooked through.

14. 14

    For the Buffalo sauce, melt the butter over low heat.

15. 15

    Whisk in the cayenne pepper hot sauce, honey, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder. Stir until smooth.

16. 16

    Toss the hot wings with the Buffalo sauce.

17. 17

    Serve the wings with the chilled ranch and the baked mac and cheese.

Notes

The wings may rest in the refrigerator for 4–12 hours before baking if time permits. Store-bought Buffalo sauce and ranch are listed as alternatives. The source gives no yield or exact amount of salt and pepper for the ranch or mac and cheese. The mac and cheese and wings are separate components, so their listed baking temperatures and times are for their respective dishes; no coordination instructions are provided.

Nutrition per serving

• game day
• American
• main
• side
• baked
• oven-baked
• comfort food
• contains gluten