Easy Macaroni And Cheese

Simple, creamy, so easy to make comfort food Mac and Cheese with crispy turkey bacon and broccoli and it’s ready in 30 minutes.

A reader from talker blogger requested this recipe for her son.  I haven’t made this in a while, so I thought it’s a good idea for dinner tonight.  My family loves this Mac and Cheese recipe with crispy turkey bacon (protein) and some broccoli for iron and fiber.  I had a small serving and it was so good (as usual)!   I loved it! ❤

My youngest was so happy when I told him we were having Macaroni and cheese for dinner.  Well, he couldn’t wait for dinner.  He requested to have a plate   🙂

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups San Giorgio elbow macaroni pasta noodles
• 1 cup 2% organic milk or whole milk
• 3/4 cup (4 slices Haverty cheese), chopped  (See Notes)
• 2 1/2 cup sharp shredded cheddar cheese plus more (See Notes)
• 5 slices of low-sodium cooked turkey bacon, finely chopped (See Notes)
• 2 cups broccoli florets, cut in tiny pieces
• salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Directions:

Chopped crispy turkey bacon

Blanch the broccoli florets for 1 minute

Haverty cheese, diced

Combine cheese and milk in a saucepan.

Stir with a whisk until cheese is completely melted

Add the macaroni noodles, broccoli florets, and bacon

Combine with a spatula.

Place in a baking dish and garnish with more cheese and bacon bits. Heat in the oven until the cheese is melted. Serve warm.

Directions:

• Read the notes  (below) before you start cooking.
• Follow the instructions on the box for the macaroni noodles. When the noodles are almost cook, add the broccoli florets (the same pot) and blanch for 1 minute.  Remove, drain and set aside.  Drain the noodles and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Combine milk and cheese in a medium saucepan and cook over low heat.  Stir frequently with a whisk until the cheese is completely melted.
• When the sauce is smooth, add the macaroni noodles, broccoli, and 1/2 of the chopped bacon.  Mix by using a spatula.  Stir until all ingredients are well-combined and coated with the cheese sauce.  Lightly season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir until well incorporated.
• Serve as is and garnish with the remaining chopped bacon or transfer half of the mixture  in a baking dish and add  about a handful of finely shredded cheddar cheese on top and a little bit of the chopped bacon.  Add the remaining macaroni mixture then sprinkle with more shredded cheddar cheese and chopped bacon on top.
• Place in the preheated oven and bake just until the cheese melts about 5- 8 minutes. (See Notes)

Notes:

• Baking time varies depending on your oven.  Adjust accordingly.
• You can substitute the Haverty cheese  with cheddar cheese  if  it’s unavailable.
• You are going to need an additional 1-2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese if you want it cheesier.
• You can add more bacon if you want more.  If you’re pressing with time, you can also use bacon bits.  It’s available at your local grocery store.
• Since bacon bits are saltier, adjust or omit the salt.

I hope you like this simple and easy Macaroni and Cheese like we always have.  I ate two servings tonight 😀

Thanks again for stopping by.  Don’t forget to Follow or Subscribe to get the latest recipes.  Let me know if you have any request.  I’ll try to accommodate you if I can.  Please link back to source if you plan to use or share any of my recipes.  Thank you so much and have a wonderful weekend.  Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers around the globe.  🙂  ❤