I have a new love in my life, and his name is Trader Joe's. Unfortunately it's a long distance relationship, so the last time we saw each other I tried to make the most out of it: I left with a big bottle of olive oil and a waxy, red round of smoked Dutch Gouda. I specifically visited Trader Joe's just for the Gouda. I've been obsessed with its nutty flavor on sandwiches, on plain bread, or just to nibble on.
I can't eat cheese too quickly (darn you, lactose-intolerance), and the Gouda's expiration date was around the corner, so I decided to throw together a mac and cheese. I used soy milk because that's all I had on hand, but it imparted a slightly sweet taste so I think I would've preferred regular milk. I also used way too much panko breadcrumbs to the point that I couldn't taste the sauce - I ended up scraping off as much breadcrumbs as I could. Vegetables (spinach, green onions, zucchini) and shredded chicken are a great add-in, and since the Gouda is subtle I often mixed in a teaspoon of pesto to my servings.
