Spicy Creole Mac and Cheese

Boil a large pot of water and submerge the macaroni, cooking it until it reaches the desired firmness. Remove from heat and drain excess water.

In a smaller cooking vessel, cook the andouille sausage over medium warmth until it is fully cooked. Set the sausage aside for later use. In the same vessel, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium warmth and combine it with bread crumbs. Stir the mixture until the bread crumbs are evenly coated, then allow it to cool before incorporating Parmesan cheese. Set the breadcrumb mixture aside.

In a separate cooking vessel, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium warmth. Add sliced onions and celery to the pan and sauté until they become translucent. Transfer the cooked vegetables to a separate container.

In the same cooking vessel, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium warmth. Whisk in flour to create a white paste, taking care not to allow it to darken in color. Mix in paprika and mustard before gradually adding milk, stirring constantly. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium warmth, then add grated Gruyere and Cheddar cheese. Simmer the mixture, stirring frequently, until it reaches a thick consistency that coats the back of a spoon, approximately 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to suit your taste.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish or equivalent-sized casserole container. Transfer the cooked macaroni to the prepared dish and combine it with the cooked andouille sausage and sautéed vegetables. Stir in the cheese mixture, then sprinkle the breadcrumb and Parmesan mixture evenly over the top.

Bake the casserole in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the crust has turned a golden brown color.