Baked Three Cheese Mac and Cheese browned under We Were the States and Das Racist

After experiencing Capdeville's version, J-Fur broke down and let me make mac and cheese that didn't come from a box. I rose to the task and made something that she not only didn't hate, but that she actually wanted more of. While far superior in taste to the boxed stuff, I must admit, this version spared no expense when it came to calories. If you are looking to cut weight, don't try this at home.

Das Baked Three Cheese Mac and Cheese

(printable version)

-1 box ziti

-2 Tbs. butter

-3 Tbs. flour

-1 tsp. powdered mustard

-3 cups, 2 percent milk

-1 onion

-1 bay leaf

-1/2 tsp. paprika

-1 cup spinach

-3 ounces muenster (grated or chunked)

-4 ounces Fontina (grated or chunked)

-2 ounces Parmesan (grated)

-1/2 cup bread crumbs

-salt and pepper (to taste)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook the ziti according to the directions on the package. Drain. Set aside.

2. Make a roux by melting the butter in a saucepan. Once butter has melted, add the flour and stir continuously until mixed. Add the powdered mustard.

3. Stir in the milk, paprika, onion, bay leaf and spinach. Cook for ten minutes.

4. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the cheeses and salt and pepper. Continue stirring until cheese has sufficiently melted.

5. Add the pasta to the cheese sauce. Stir until well mixed.

6. Place the cheesy pasta in a baking dish. Cover the top with the bread crumbs. Cook for 30 minutes.

7. Remove from oven and stir the breadcrumbs into the pasta. Raise the oven temperature to broil and place the macaroni back in. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes, just enough so that the cheese begins to brown in some places.

To some, the golden hue emanating from this mac and cheese recipe is created by the blend of the cheeses. To me, it is more than that. The hue comes from the cheese, yes, but it also comes from the sounds of We Were the States. They balanced drug references and religion with floods, harmony and undercooked meat to create "Gold." It is the first single off their new record Rasa, which was finally released last month. Why? Read here.

We Were the States-Gold

It was easy to think that Das Racist was nothing more than a gimmick. I mean the first time I heard them was when they couldn't find their way out of a combination pizza hut and taco bell. But as track after track comes my way, each outdoing the last, I think it is high time I push those thoughts aside. These guys know how to take care of business. The lyrical slurring and non-sense words that make up the chorus of "You Oughta Know" are perfect, like people who can't win an argument so they need to resort to personal attacks that have nothing to do with the debate at hand. "You Oughta Know" is from the band's Shut Up, Dude Mixtape which was released back in April.

Do you only speak devil?