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Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese

Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese with Turkey Bacon and Chicken Ham

Enjoy a rich and creamy baked mac and cheese made with turkey bacon and chicken ham.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course main dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings
Calories 550 kcal

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • large saucepan
  • Baking dish
  • Whisk
  • grater

Ingredients
  

Pasta and Cheeses

  • 1 lb. dried elbow pasta
  • 4 cups shredded medium cheddar cheese divided (measured after shredding)
  • 2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese divided (measured after shredding)

Sauce Ingredients

  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cups whole milk
  • 2 ½ cups half and half see chef tips #1
  • ½ Tbsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. black pepper
  • ¼ tsp. paprika smoked paprika is our favorite!

Instructions
 

Cooking Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and grease a 3 qt baking dish (9x13). Set aside.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When boiling, add dried pasta and cook 1 minute less than the package directs for al dente. Drain and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil to keep from sticking.
  • While water is coming up to a boil, shred cheeses and toss together to mix, then divide into three piles: approximately 3 cups for the sauce, 1 ½ cups for the inner layer, and 1 ½ cups for the topping.
  • Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine. Mixture will look like very wet sand. Cook for approximately 1 minute, whisking often.
  • Slowly pour in about 2 cups of the half and half, whisking constantly, until smooth. Slowly pour in the remaining half and half plus the whole milk, whisking constantly, until combined and smooth.
  • Continue to heat over medium heat, whisking very often, until thickened to a very thick consistency.

Nutrition

Serving: 1plateCalories: 550kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 25gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 800mgPotassium: 400mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 10IUCalcium: 30mgIron: 10mg
Keyword baked, Chicken Ham, Comfort Food, Creamy, Mac and Cheese, Turkey Bacon
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