Home made Mac & Cheese

This is a favorite at our house, real stick to your ribs type food. I find teenagers will often take this dish as payment for chores. They've also gotten me to teach them to make it themselves to impress their friends so this is the version I typed up to help them. It's adapted from an old friend's mom's old recipe with a few adaptations of my own over the years.

This is the big version for use with a large deep dish. If you're using a smaller dish you can divide this in half or take away a third.

16 ounces macaroni or shell or twist pasta
20 ounces of cheddar cheese grated
3 cups of milk
4 eggs
2 teaspoons salt (or less if using a salty meat)
1 onion, precooked until soft not brown
8 slices of bacon or the equivalent in sausage, or ham; precooked in a skillet (optional) (Vegetarian style you can use precooked mushrooms)
2 cloves garlic minced (optional)
Sliced provolone or mozzarella cheese (optional)
Fine ground dried or fresh basil to taste (optional) up to a tablespoon or so.

To assemble:

In a small skillet with a little light oil pre-cook the bacon or meat if you are using it. Then you cook the onions in the drippings adding a small amount more light oil if needed. Otherwise just cook the onions until they're soft in a little light oil.

Once the bacon is cooked and cooled set it aside in a bowl. When the onions are cooked also set them aside to cool in the same bowl with the bacon mixed together.

In a separate bowl beat the eggs a little along with the milk, ground basil (if using it) and salt until frothy.

When both bowls are ready; then cook the macaroni according to the instructions on the package. Drain the macaroni into a colander when done and allow to cool slightly.

Put nonstick spray (best) or otherwise grease your cooking dish.

Oven should be preheated to 350 degrees.

In the cool greased cooking dish, layer first a layer of the cooked macaroni then add a layer of the bacon and onion mixture, then a layer of grated cheese gradually into the greased pyrex. Lastly when everything is layered together evenly pour the milk and egg mixture into it. You may be tempted to mix it all together rather than layering it but don't, it makes a difference.

Cook in the preheated 350 degree oven for around 30 to 35 minutes until it is bubbly and moist but not too wet. If you have sliced provolone or mozzarella cheese you can add that across the top for the last 5 or 10 minutes (optional).

When it's finished remove it from the oven and let it just stand for a few minutes until it's cooled and not still steaming will also help it firm up and be less runny.

ENJOY :hungry:

One last note: The garlic gets cooked with the onions. :hungry:

:hungry: Im am soooooo Hugrey Right now sounds tasty :hail::

:hungry:
NOM nom nom nom nom nomn omnn

:hail:: my boyfriend is going to love this recipe his favorite food is mac and cheese and this sounds sooooooooooo good,thank you going to copy this so he can make it for us :thumbup:

Cool dawnandziggy! Let me know how it comes out. :

I've died and gone to heaven reading this recipe..Hope you don't mind I'm sending it to my sis who is also a big Mac and Cheese fan.

That's fine DarkAddictions feel free to share! :thumbup: Oh and thanks JonShadowDragon and Killarican that's exactly what my kids say about this recipe... that it's "om nom nomminess" lol. :crazy:

AH! this is perfect timing for today! Thank you---glad I found this post.

Many hugs.

Great Beauty! Let me know how it turns out!

I'm glad people have had an interest in this recipe, it's one of my favorites in fact I just made it for a present for my son who really loves it and I made it just the way he likes it.

Lately I've been using a naturally reduced carb "Dreamfields" brand pasta for this recipe in a Penne shape that works great for it and tastes great.

I meant to mention above to chop the bacon once cooked before mixing it with the onions.... although it wouldn't ruin it to layer it in whole. I forgot to put that in because the people in my family that I've been showing how to cook it; they knew I chop the bacon to put in it... they know this because I have to work quick and say "no" to those who want to steal and eat the bacon I've cooked for the recipe lol... I'm always saying "no that bacon's for the mac & cheese that's why I'm chopping it!!!" lol. :crazy:

I love talking recipes(I have a ton of em) and cooking, if anyone is looking for any recipe in particular let me know. Likely I either have or could easily find it.

You can put a lot of magic and love into cooking...