This article is written by a student writer from the Spoon University at Oregon chapter.

We all have those days where we are stuck choosing between eating a slice of pizza or enjoying a bowl of mac and cheese. Yet, the day has finally come where there is no need to choose between both. This time, you can have the best of both worlds. Warning: food coma will occur.

Medium

Prep Time: 0 minutes
Cook Time: 50-60 minutes
Total Time: 50-60 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:
2 cups of elbow macaroni
2 cups half and half
¾ teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
¼ cup cream cheese (room temperature)
8 ounces sharp shredded cheddar cheese
3 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese
½ cup marinara sauce
½ cup sun dried tomatoes
3 ounces pepperoni slices

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

2. Bring a large pot of water to boil.

3. Add the macaroni and cook until al dente.

4. Strain the pasta, setting aside about 1 cup of the pasta water in a bowl for additional steps later on.

Photo by Tiare Brown

5. In a saucepan, combine up the half and half, oregano and crushed red pepper and place over heat to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often.

Photo by Tiare Brown

6. Add the cream cheese and stir until there are no chunks in the mixture.

Photo by Tiare Brown

7. Mix in the shredded Cheddar and Gruyere cheese until sauce is smooth.

Photo by Tiare Brown

8. Add the macaroni and the previously set aside cup of water to the saucepan. Don’t worry if it looks too liquidy; eventually the macaroni will soak up the excess liquid.