Israeli Couscous Mac & Cheese

Today I wanted to put a fancier spin on one of my favorite comfort foods, mac and cheese. Who doesn't love that right?? I've had a jar of Israeli couscous sitting on my counter for a while that I was trying to find something to do with and this sounded like the most delicious option. Israeli couscous is similar in appearance to regular couscous except it's larger and doughier. Everything I had read said that it would make a good pasta substitute.

You will need:

2 teaspoons of butter
1 cup of Israeli couscous
2 cups of chicken broth
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1/4 cup of diced pimentos
1 pinch of cayenne pepper
3 ounces of shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I used white and yellow)
1 tablespoon of chopped chives
Salt and pepper

Start by melting the butter over medium heat, then toast the couscous for about 2-3 minutes.

Next add in the chicken broth, bring it to a boil, then simmer it on low for about 6-7 minutes until most of the stock has been absorbed and the couscous has plumped.

Pour in the heavy cream and pimentos, season it with the cayenne pepper, and give it a good stir. Remove the pan from the heat and add in the cheese, chives, and salt and pepper. Continue stirring until everything gets nice and melty.

Transfer the mixture to your favorite serving dish and top with a few whole chives! It turns out just as creamy and good as regular mac and cheese and has a nice little kick to it from the cayenne without being overly spicy. My dad did give it a whirl (this was after he dumped Old Bay on it before tasting it, he got a look for that one) and said it was very good.