Macaroni & Cheese Bites

We had an appetizer and dessert party last week at our house and I went in search of a great new appetizer to make. I then saw these Mac & Cheese bites at Woman with a Whisk and fell in love with the idea. I LOVE macaroni and cheese. I've always been a huge fan of the blue box but have recently begun to search for great homemade recipes and am loving that more and more. These are so cute and delicious...the perfect little bite. They were great for our party and were also great as a side dish with our lunch the next day. These little bites are pretty easy and don't take long to make, which is a huge plus. You can pop them in the oven 10 minutes before your guests arrive and they'll be ready just in time. I halved the recipe and got about 36 bites, so the full recipe (which is below) should yield approximately 72 bites. I also just used the 2 % mexican four cheese blend that I had on hand instead of the sharp cheddar and it worked great.

Mac & Cheese Bites
Source: Woman with a Whisk

Ingredients:
1 lb. elbow macaroni

3 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. flour
1-1/2 cup milk (skim works fine)
3 packed cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus more for sprinkling on top
2 extra large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated

Directions:
Cook the pasta according to the package directions and drain well.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Spray a nonstick mini muffin pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute.
Whisk in the milk and bring to a boil. Cook, whisking occasionally, for about 2 -3 minutes until thickened.
Add cheddar and Parmesan cheeses and stir to melt.
Remove from heat and stir in egg yolks, salt and nutmeg. Stir in macaroni.
Spoon slightly rounded tablespoons of macaroni and cheese into the prepared mini muffin pan. Each cup should be filled to the top. Pack each one down gently.

Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
Bake for about 10 minutes until golden and sizzling. Let cool for 5 minutes.

Using a teaspoon, carefully loosen the mac and cheese bites and transfer to a platter to serve.
If you're not baking these immediately, simply store on a baking sheet, cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate. Reheat at 400 degrees for 10 minutes prior to serving.