Blt Macaroni And Cheese Recipes

BLT-RIFIC MAC 'N CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat on the stove. Add bacon and cook until crispy, about 4 minutes per side. Once cool enough to handle, crumble or chop and set aside.
• In a large pot, prepare pasta al dente (firm) according to the instructions on the package. Drain well, return to the pot, and cover to keep warm.
• While water comes to a boil and while pasta cooks, cut squash into pieces similar to the size of penne, about 2 inches long and 1/2 inch thick.
• Spray a large skillet (with a lid) with nonstick spray, and bring to medium heat on the stove. Add squash, cover, and cook for 5 minutes, occasionally uncovering to stir.
• Add spinach and tomato to the skillet, re-cover, and continue to cook for about 1 minute. Remove cover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach has wilted, tomatoes are soft, and excess liquid has cooked off, about 3 minutes. If needed, drain any excess liquid. Set aside.
• Place cheese wedges in a microwave-safe bowl and stir to break them up. Add sour cream and cheese slices, breaking cheese slices into pieces as you add them. Microwave for 30 seconds, and then stir thoroughly. Microwave for another 30 seconds, or until cheeses have fully melted. Mix until smooth.
• Add cheese mixture and cooked veggies to the pasta. Toss to coat. Top with bacon. If needed, bring to desired temperature on the stove. If you like, season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve it up!

BLT PASTA

Steps:

• In 4-quart Dutch oven, heat chicken broth, pasta and black pepper to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medium; simmer uncovered 11 to 14 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente and most of liquid is absorbed.
• Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in butter until melted. Gradually add spinach, stirring constantly, until starting to wilt. Remove from heat; stir in tomatoes and bacon. Top with remaining ingredients.

BLT MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• In large microwavable bowl, place cheese cubes, butter and milk. Microwave uncovered on High 8 to 10 minutes. Stir with whisk; microwave on High 4 minutes longer. Stir again; repeat microwaving until all cheese is melted and mixture can be stirred smooth, a total of about 15 minutes.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Cook macaroni in boiling salted water 3 minutes less than directed on box (macaroni should be firm). Drain; place in 15x10-inch (4-quart) glass baking dish. Pour melted cheese sauce over macaroni; mix well. Stir in shredded cheese, tomatoes and spinach.
• Cover dish with foil; bake 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle bacon and bread crumbs evenly over top. Bake 5 minutes longer or until top is lightly browned. Cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

BLT MACARONI SALAD

Steps:

• Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon on paper towels and crumble.
• At the same time, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain and let cool, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Stir mayonnaise and coleslaw dressing together in a large bowl until creamy. Add noodles, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and green onions. Toss well.

BLT PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, turning as needed, until the fat has rendered and the bacon is golden and crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. (You may need to cook the bacon in two batches, draining the rendered fat from the skillet between batches.) Let the bacon cool to room temperature, then crumble up into bite-sized pieces.
• Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and let cool.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, milk, ranch seasoning, lemon juice, parmesan cheese, and black pepper. Add the pasta, tomatoes, lettuce, onion, herbs and half of the crumbled bacon to the bowl with the dressing. Gently fold together to coat. Top with remaining bacon and serve.

BLT MACARONI SALAD

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the first 4 ingredients. Add the macaroni, tomato and onions; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate. Just before serving, add lettuce and bacon; toss to coat.

BLT MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the macaroni according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
• Toss the lettuce with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast on a baking sheet until the lettuce is wilted, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool, but leave the oven on.
• In a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat, render the bacon with the canola oil until crispy. Remove the bacon and set aside, leaving 3 tablespoons of fat in the pan. Add the flour and cook over medium heat until the flour begins to smell slightly toasted, about 1 minute. Add a small amount of the milk to the flour and whisk until smooth. Add the remaining milk in stages to avoid lumps. Heat until the mixture simmers, then turn off the heat.
• Add the Cheddar and Gruyere to the pan, followed by the nutmeg and drained macaroni. Fold until the macaroni is evenly coated, then add the lettuce, tomatoes and bacon.
• Spread the mixture in a 2-quart baking dish and top with the Herbed Breadcrumbs. Cook until the top is golden, about 35 minutes.
• Combine the panko, butter, parsley and thyme in a medium bowl and mix together.

BLT PASTA

Steps:

• Boil water for pasta and line a plate with paper towel: Bring a large pot of salty water to a boil. Line a plate with paper towels and set it aside for later use.
• Season the tomatoes: Place the tomatoes in a medium bowl and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss to combine. Taste the tomatoes and if they need additional sweetness, add a pinch of sugar and toss again.
• Combine sundried tomatoes and cheese: Into the bowl with the quartered tomatoes, add the sundried tomatoes and mozzarella.
• Cook the bacon in batches: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the bacon in a single layer, being sure not to crowd the pan. Work in batches to cook all of the bacon. Cook, flipping once or twice, until crispy, 5-8 minutes total. Remove the cooked bacon to the plate lined with paper towels. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat. Pour it into a small heat-proof bowl. You will use it later to flavor the pasta and salad dressing.
• Crumble the bacon: Using your hands, crumble or tear the bacon into bite-sized pieces over the bowl of tomatoes and cheese.
• Cook the pasta: Cook the pasta until al dente, according to the package instructions. When the pasta is done, drain it in a colander. Transfer it to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle in 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the reserved bacon fat. Season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Toss well. Add the tomato-bacon mix and stir to combine, then taste the pasta and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
• Make the salad dressing and dress arugula: In a small jar with a lid, combine the lemon juice, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and remaining 1 tablespoon of the reserved bacon fat. Season with salt and pepper to taste and shake well. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. Put the arugula into a medium bowl and toss it with the dressing.
• Serve: Divide the pasta between six plates and pile a handful of dressed greens on top of each serving.

BLT MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, 10 to 11 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, place bacon pieces in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon from the skillet and set on paper towels to drain excess grease. Reserve 1/4 cup of the bacon grease, and carefully discard any extra or save for another use.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Return 1/4 cup bacon grease to the skillet, adjusting heat if the skillet is too hot. Whisk in flour until smooth. Allow flour mixture to bubble gently and cook, whisking regularly, about 1 minute. Whisk in canned tomatoes with liquid and milk. Whisk until smooth and mixture is bubbly and thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. If mixture is too thick, thin with a little more milk.
• Stir in Cheddar cheese and stir until cheese has melted into the sauce. Thin with a little bit of milk if needed. Taste mixture and season with salt and pepper. Stir grape tomatoes and broccoli into the sauce. Add cooked and drained noodles and stir gently to coat. Fill mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with bacon pieces.
• Bake in the preheated oven until top is bubbly and broccoli is crisp-tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Toss arugula with some lemon juice and serve atop the mac and cheese.