This week's recipe: Macaroni and Goat Cheese with Caramelized Onions and Thyme

The past couple of weeks has been so busy here at Inspired Occasions. With weddings, graduations, fundraisers, and outdoor events, we have been doing nearly 20 events each week. The highlight of this month has been a wedding at Starlight Theater. Over 350 guests attended the full-day event. We catered lunch and dinner, and there were two ceremonies - a Christian one a Muslim one. The luncheon was outdoors and before the "American" ceremony, and the dinner was following the "Indian" ceremony and featured traditional Indian food. We will be posting photos and the entire menu soon.
But for those of you who follow us on Facebook, we have started a forum for our most popular recipes. Each year, we host the Morningside Homes Association holiday party at our kitchen. As discussed in an earlier blog, we have been doing a lot of mac and cheese bars. At this event, we did a goat cheese mac and cheese with caramelized onions and thyme. Since this was our first attempt at getting suggestions, we went for the first response.
So, here's the recipe for one of our gourmet mac and cheeses:

2C Elbow or shell macaroni cooked in salted water and drained
1 10.5 oz. package of Montrachet cheese
4 oz. Cream cheese
2C heavy cream
1 small onion caramelized
2 t thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Course Bread crumbs


Combine 8 oz. of the goat cheese, 4 oz cream cheese and 2 cups heavy cream in sauce pan and heat on low until cheeses are melted and smooth.

Meanwhile caramelize the onion with :
2T Butter
1T Brown Sugar
2T Red wine and/or balsamic vinegar

Add caramelized onion to cheese mixture and fold in macaroni.
Pour into 2 qt baking dish.

Top with remaining 2.5 oz. of goat cheese (crumbled over top) and sprinkle with bread crumbs.

Bake in a 350 degree oven until hot and bubbly.

Note: If Macaroni looks too dry drizzle with more cream or half and half.