For me, macaroni and cheese is the ULTIMATE comfort food. I love when it’s warm and cheesy, and served in a nice BIG bowl. Today I was in my FAVORITE grocery store ALDI http://aldi.us/index_ENU_HTML.htm and saw frozen raw Maine lobsters in the freezer section for $9.99. Now lobster is not an item I tend to buy often, because it can be pricey. But for $9.99, I was doing the HAPPY dance. So I grabbed 2, then started to think about how I wanted to fix them.
When I got home, I opened my refrigerator, and noticed that I still had a big bag of shredded cheddar cheese. Knowing that I also had a TON of pasta, I immediately decided to make Lobster Mac & Cheese. But then my cheapness crept back in, and I wasn’t sure if I “really” wanted to use both lobsters on a pasta dish. Then it dawned on me to use 1 lobster, and combine it with shrimp.
This Shrimp & Lobster Mac n Cheese was so good, I kept going back for more. It’s definitely a winner in my book, and I hope you like it!!
To make it, you first have to start with a great mac n cheese recipe. I decided to use a version that I adapted from my Aunt Pat a few years ago. Now this mac and cheese isn’t the healthiest, but once digested do some P90X, run a few miles, or “attempt” to do insanity, and you’ll be fine…LOL
The ROXX Box Shrimp and Lobster Mac n Cheese
3 cups uncooked penne pasta
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese + 1/2 cup
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
2 eggs
4 cups milk (NOT SKIM)
Butter
Lawry’s Garlic Salt
Granulated Chicken Bouillon
1 1/2 cup raw shrimp and lobster blend
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons parsley
Add water to a large pot and place on high heat. Cover pot until water starts to boil. Once water starts to boil, lower heat and add pasta. Cook for 5 minutes. Drain. Don’t rinse. Add pasta to a buttered 9×13 baking casserole dish.
In 1 bowl add the cheeses. In another bowl, add the eggs, milk, and seasonings (to taste). Mix the wet liquid well, and then pour over pasta. Next add the cheeses and mix in baking dish.
In a saute pan, place on medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to pan, and when the butter melts, add 1 cup panko breadcrumb and 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes. Saute until the panko and parsley are coated in the butter. Turn heat to low.
In another pan add a bit more butter and place on medium heat. When the butter melts, add 1 1/2 cups of the raw lobster/shrimp combo to the pan. Season w/garlic salt if desired. Saute for about 45sec to 1 minute. Remove from heat and place in bowl.
Here is what the seafood will look like after lightly sauteed.
Removed 1/4 cup of the seafood mix, and place on cutting board. Chop up finely then add to panko crumbs. Mix well, remove from heat, and set aside.
Here is what it looks like when seafood and panko are mixed.
Add the remaining seafood in bowl onto pasta mix and mix well.
Top with 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese and 2 tablespoons of butter (if desired), and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 30min.
After 30min, remove from oven and increase oven temp to 400 degrees.
Top with panko/seafood mix and place back in the oven for another 20+ minutes or until pasta is thoroughly cooked and panko is lightly brown (not burnt).
Here is what dish looks like when it is almost done.
Remove from oven and allow to set for about 10-15min before cutting. Once set, cut and ENJOY!!
This dish can go straight from dinner plate to bento box. Here it is in “my” Easy Lunchbox.
Enjoy!!
Rox
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Yes I did. Oh OK I thought u were talking about the lobster tails. I wish mine had the whole ones. I even gotten scallops from The Aldi near me. The other day I saw a red velvet cake.. I’ve gotten the whole long Salmon and just yesterday I saw the salmon fillets cut pieces. About 4 of them for $4.45 in a small bag.
Yes…You can find a lot of stuff at ALDI’s
Actually that is a great deal for your lobster.. Here in NC it’s 12.99 I think or 11.99 and each day I go in there and all I do is stare at it..lol The more I stare the more people are buying them… Went in there yesterday and it was only 1 pack left.. I snoozed on that. Put did get some Turkey Fillets wrapped in bacon will have to take that off don’t eat pork bacon. They look like the beef fillet Mignon.
This looks delicious.
My store typically has the 2 tails in a package for $12.99. I had never seen the whole ones in there until yesterday. Did you find the turkey fillets at Aldi’s also?