What are you doing this Saturday? You know, to celebrate National Mac and Cheese Day on July 14. Who doesn’t love Mac and Cheese? There’s an instant childhood flashback for you! Mac and Cheese is such a comfort food. It always tastes so good! Mac and Cheese with BACON? Oh yes, please! Bacon makes everything better! (Okay, vegetarians may disagree, but hey, you can always leave it out!)
How to make Bacon Mac and Cheese better? Make it MINI! I love mini food! Perfect for parties or fun dinners. What better way to celebrate National Mac and Cheese Day! Whip up a batch to enjoy the day with cheesy, gooey goodness!
Students, this is a pretty easy recipe to cook up and better for you than the stuff from a box. If want to eat it for dinner, you can eat several minis or leave out the egg, don’t bake it and you are good to go!
Want more mini foods? Try the Mini Meatloafs or Mini Poke bowls!
Prep time: 35 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes + 10 minutes cooling Serves: Makes 42 (3 1/2 dozen)
What you need:
- 1/2 pound macaroni
- 1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/4 + 1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, (1/2 cup total divided)
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 cup mozzarella, grated
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1 large egg, slightly beaten
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- pinch of ground nutmeg
- 1/3 cup cooked crumbled bacon (I used precooked bacon)
- Butter for greasing tins
What you do:
- Preheat the oven to 425°.
- In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the macaroni until al dente, about 5 minutes.
- Drain, shaking off the excess water.
- Grease nonstick mini muffin tins with butter. Sprinkle lightly with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano; tap out, and save the excess.
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter.
- Add the flour.
- Whisk in the flour over moderate heat for 2 minutes.
- Whisk in the milk and cook, whisking, until boiling, about 5 minutes.
- Add the cheddar and mozzarella.
- Whisk until melted.
- Remove from heat.
- Off the heat, whisk in the egg, mustard, bacon, nutmeg and paprika.
- Fold in the macaroni.
- Spoon slightly rounded tablespoons of the macaroni into the prepared muffin cups, packing them gently.
- Sprinkle the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano on top.
- Bake the mini macs in the upper and middle thirds of the oven for about 10 minutes, until golden and sizzling.
- Let cool for about 10 minutes in the tins.
- Using a small spoon, carefully loosen the mini macs, transfer to a platter and serve.
- Enjoy!
- MMMMMMM!
- Mini Bacon Mac and Cheese!
- These can be made the day before, just refrigerate until you are ready to bake in the oven.
- Happy National Mac and Cheese Day everyone!
- Mini Bacon Mac and Cheese – perfect for parties
