Macaroni & Cheese with Bacon

MACARONI CHEESE WITH BACON.

Lincoln first made this a year or so ago.  I turned my nose up at the idea of it as my only recollection of macaroni

Ready to cook (or chill till required)

 was when an aunt was baby-sitting me (at around age 6?), and she wouldn’t let me leave the table till I had eaten my (hideous) macaroni. It seemed like it took forever to get through my plate…and I’m sure I recall gagging at it.

I helped Lincoln make this and it came out of the oven smelling exceptionally good. I decided to try a spoon-full and it was incredible!  This is a good ‘sometimes’ food as it’s loaded with all things bad: pasta, cheese and bacon. 

However, if you have boys who are going through growth-spurts it’s a fantastic filler. I will often make it during a morning (up to the baking point) it if I have a busy afternoon with clients when prepping dinner could become a mission.

It would also be an ideal ‘gift dinner’ if you have a friend who has been really busy and could do with a night off cooking.  Lincoln tells me he could eat this “every day” and Lucy goes nuts for it too.

This macaroni has a fantastic crunchy topping. 

Ready to serve!



2 ½ cups dry macaroni

50g butter

¼ cup flour

2 cups milk

Pepper (I don’t use any salt in this recipe as there is enough in the bacon)

150g grated tasty cheese

4-6 slices chopped cooked bacon

2/3 cup breadcrumbs.

Set oven to 180°C.  Chop & cook the bacon and set aside.  Melt the butter in a pot, add the flour and stir for a couple of minutes over a medium heat. Whisk in ½ cup milk. Keep whisking until the mix thickens. Whisk in another ½ cup till the sauce thickens and repeat the process until all the milk is mixed in.  Bring the sauce to a simmer, then remove it from the heat, season with pepper and stir in 100g of the cheese. Stir in the bacon once the cheese is melted through.  If not using immediately, cover and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to the boil and cook macaroni till al-dente (approx 7-9 minutes).  Drain, then mix in with the sauce.

Put the mixture in a large oven dish that has been greased with butter or oiled.  Sprinkle 1/3 of the breadcrumbs over it. Then sprinkle with 25g cheese. Repeat the crumb/cheese layer then bake for approx 25 minutes.

You can prep this in a morning, then cover and chill it. Bake for approx 40-45 minutes if baking from cold.