Dressed up Annie's #1

The Goods:

1 box Annie's Mac and Cheese*

1/2 cup fresh fontina cheese

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp milk

1/2 medium-sized yellow onion

4-5 crimini mushrooms

3-4 broccolini florets

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1 tsp cumin powder

Fill a medium saucepan with water, set on high heat to boil. Mince the onion, slice the mushrooms, and chop the broccolini. Add some olive oil to a skillet and set the heat to medium-low. Saute the onions for a few minutes, then add the mushrooms and broccolini. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, and red pepper and/or chili powder (depending on your preference for heat). Once the onions are translucent and the other vegetables have cooked, remove from the heat.

Set the oven's broiler to high. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a small bowl (roughly 30 seconds in the microwave will do nicely). Slice the fontina into small cubes. After the water has boiled, season with some salt, and add the Annie's pasta. Boil for 8-10 minutes (per the box), then strain. Combine the pasta with the mix included in the Annie's box, the other tablespoon of butter, the milk, the vegetables, and the fontina. Mix until the butter and fresh cheese have melted completely.

Add the mac and cheese to something oven safe. I used three 6 ounce ramekins, and it everything fit perfectly. If one opts for ramekins, people can have contained individual portions, which can be nice. Place a layer of panko on top of the mac and cheese. Spread the melted butter evenly over all of the panko. Place in the oven, under the broiler, for 2-3 minutes, or until the panko has browned.

*Feel free to use any sort of Annie's, though I make no promises for the quality of the dish if one opts for a rice pasta variety.