5 Cheese Krack n Cheese Recipe
Ingredients:
For the Mac:
4 oz. elbow macaroni
1/2 tsp salt
2 qts of water
Mix-Ins:
4 strips bacon
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Cheese Sauce:
4 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
3 oz. cream cheese
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
The Finisher (Topping):
2 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tsp paprika
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Bring 2 qts of water to boil, add salt for cooking noodles.
In a medium saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, then chop it into pieces.
Pour out all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan and brown onions. Add garlic at the end for about 1 minute. Leave a little crunch in the onions as they will soften in the oven.
Cheese Sauce:
In a 2-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, melt butter over low heat.
Whisk in flour after butter melts and cook for 5 minutes or until it turns a straw-like color.
Slowly add milk while mixing to avoid lumps.
Cook for 5-6 minutes until it starts to bubble and thicken.
Stir in cream cheese until thoroughly mixed.
Next, stir in cheddar cheese and seasonings; Turn off heat once mixed in.
Macaroni:
Pour in macaroni halfway through making the sauce so it will be ready when the sauce is done.
Boil macaroni for about 2/3 of the recommended time, so it is still slightly chewy (approximately 6 minutes). The macaroni will soften up while baking.
Drain the noodles and combine them with cheese sauce, onions, and bacon. Mix thoroughly.
Pour the mixture into a 2-quart oven-safe dish or individual baking dishes.
Sprinkle with shredded cheese and paprika.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until the top layer of cheese has browned.
enjoy