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Classic Cheddar Bacon Macaroni & Cheese

Cheddar cheese.  Bacon.  Macaroni.  Nothing more needs to be said. I am such a NUT for a GOOD mac & cheese.  Even better if it has bacon in it.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Comfort Foods, Everyday Meals, pasta, side dishes
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bacon, mac and cheese
Servings: 4 -6
Calories: 984kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
  • Water to cover macaroni about 1/4-inch above the macaroni in the rice cooker pot
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp oil or butter

FOR THE SAUCE

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups whole milk I generally mix 1 1/2 cups milk with 1/2 cup half and half cream
  • 1 cup cubed Velveeta
  • 8 oz shredded sharp cheddar
  • 2-3 strips of crisp bacon diced
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE TOPPING

  • 1 cup soft breadcrumbs
  • 1 tbsp butter melted

Instructions

  • Place the macaroni, water, salt and oil in bowl of 7-cup rice cooker. Set rice cooker to COOK. Check macaroni in about 10 minute. If water is almost absorbed, switch cooker to WARM. When water is absorbed, the cooker will automatically switch to keep warm mode, but it’s better in this case to catch this before it does. However, if it has already gone to keep warm, it’s no tragedy, but some elbows on the bottom may have started to brown (which is perfectly OK). Leave the cooked elbows in the rice cooker’s pot.
  • Add sauce ingredients to cooked macaroni in the rice cooker’s pot. Switch cooker to COOK and with lid open, stir until cheeses are melted. Close lid and cook for about 5 minutes, or until sauce is reduced by 25%.
  • While sauce is reducing, mix breadcrumbs with the melted butter. Set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray or grease a 1.5 quart deep casserole.
  • Add macaroni and sauce to prepared baking dish. Top with buttered bread crumbs.
  • Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until sauce bubbles along the edges and the crumbs are nicely browned.
  • Serves 4-6
  • **For Conventional Cooking**
  • Cook elbows as per package directions; drain and set aside.
  • In a medium saucepan ,combine sauce ingredients, except for bacon. Stir constantly over medium heat until cheeses are melted. Reduce heat and stir constantly until sauce is slightly reduced (about 25%). Add the bacon and cooked, drained macaroni. Proceed from here as in the directions above.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 984kcal | Carbohydrates: 86g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 51g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Cholesterol: 152mg | Sodium: 1799mg | Potassium: 674mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 1873IU | Calcium: 970mg | Iron: 3mg