Buffalo Mac 'n Cheese Bites

These triple cheesy mac 'n cheese poppers with blue cheese dressing will disappear fast!!
(makes 48 bites)

6 oz. small elbow pasta, about 1&3/4 cups
Coconut oil* cooking spray
1 cup plain panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup + 4 T/ finely chopped fresh flat leaf* parsley
3 eggs
1&1/2 cups finely diced cooked skinless chicken
4 scallions, finely chopped, about 1/2 cup
2 ribs celery, finely diced, 3/4 cup
1 cup Cheez Whiz (really??*)
4 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded, 1 cup
2 oz. pepper Jack cheese, shredded, 1/2 cup
2 T. Frank's* Hot Sauce
1 cup chunky blue cheese dressing
2 T. half and half or whole* milk
1/4 of a yellow pepper
Small cherry tomatoes

Preheat oven to 400. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, coat 48 mini muffin cups with cooking spray. In a bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs and 1/2 cup parsley; reserve 1/3 cup mixture. Dividing evenly, sprinkle remaining panko mixture into muffin cups to coat. In a large bowl, beat eggs, then stir in chicken , scallions, celery, Cheez Whiz, Cheddar and pepper-Jack cheeses and hot sauce; stir in pasta. Spoon about 1 T. mixture into each muffin cup; dividing evenly. sprinkle tops with reserved panko mixture. Bake 10-12 min. or until firm and edges are lightly browned. Run a small knife around the edge of each muffin; cool slightly. Meanwhile, in a blender, combine dressing, half and half and 3 t. parsley. Cover; blend until smooth. Transfer 1/4 cup dressing to plastic sandwich bag; pour remaining dressing into serving bowl. Reserve. Arrange bites on a platter in a tree shape. Sprinkle with remaining 1 T. parsley. Snip a tiny hole in one corner of the sandwich bag; drizzle dressing over tree. Using a 2&3/8" star-shaped cookie cutter, cut out star from pepper; place at top of tree. Garnish with tomatoes. Serve with reserved dressing.

"The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra." ~ Jimmy Johnson

Love,

MM