Mac N Cheese

Everyone has a mac n cheese recipe, and everyone thinks their recipe is the best. We are no different and think our mac n cheese is the best. It’s quick, easy, the perfect balance of cheesy and creamy, and has onion and bacon. What else could you want from a mac n cheese? Plus, if you’re anything like us, it’s made from ingredients you already have on hand (check out our list of pantry staples here).

1. In a large pot, cook pasta according to box, until al dente. Drain and add to baking dish. 
2. While pasta is boiling:
   • If you have precooked bacon and bacon butter, add a tablespoon of bacon butter to a medium pot and skip to step 3.
   • If you do not have precooked bacon and bacon butter, for now, cook bacon until evenly brown in a skillet. Remove bacon, crumble, and set aside. In the future, consider using our bacon cooking technique so you always have cooked bacon and bacon butter on hand.
3. In bacon pan, sauté the chopped onion and minced garlic over medium heat.
4. Add butter to the onion mixture. Once butter is melted, add flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes. Gradually add milk, and continue stirring until thickened. Stir in 2 cups of cheese, and stir until melted. Add in crumbled bacon before adding to the pasta in the baking dish. Stir to combine pasta and sauce.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F. 
6. Add the last cup of cheese to the top of the mac n cheese, and bake uncovered until cheese on top is melted and brown, approx. 25 minutes

A great addition here would be some frozen peas, which you can add to the pasta for the last few minutes of boiling to warm them through. We have also made this recipe without bacon and onion, and while it was not nearly as good, it is still a decent classic mac n cheese.