Comfort Fest: Mix-Ins for Macaroni and Cheese

By: Cameron Curtis

Related To:

Grilled Chicken Caesar Mac

FN RECIPE Rachael Ray Grilled Chicken Caeser Mac

Photo by: Brian Kennedy ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Brian Kennedy, 2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Pasta and cheese, what could be better? Whether you're cooking on the stove top or baking your dish in the oven, this dish is a quintessential comfort food. Put a whole new spin on classic macaroni and cheese with these delicious mix ins.

1. Grilled Chicken Caesar Mac (pictured above)

Rachael simply grills boneless, skinless chicken breast and slices it before tossing into her penne and cheese mixture. Looking to cut down on cooking time? Swap in sliced rotisserie chicken instead.

 Mac 'N Cheese with Bacon and Cheese

tyler-florence-mac-n-cheese-with-bacon-and-cheese-recipe_s4x3

Top Tyler's baked elbow macaroni and cheese with a bacon, onion, garlic and thyme mixture before serving. Want even more bacon in your pasta dish? Kelsey's Skillet Bacon Mac and Cheese incorporated rendered bacon fat into the breadcrumb topping for her bechamel-based macaroni and cheese.

Crab Cake Mac N Cheese

Cavatappi or elbow pasta get classed up in Rachael's dish that can be made in a large casserole or in individual baking crocks. Fresh lump crab meat and seafood seasoning (think Old Bay) take her cheesy mixture to a whole new level. If you're interested in an even more indulgent dish, the Neelys' Lobster Macaroni and Cheese features lobster tails.

Steamed cauliflower is incorporated into Rachael's pasta dish to make every serving incredibly hearty. Smoked paprika, mushrooms (porcini and cremini), and kale add great flavor to the classic eblow macaroni and Cheddar base of the Beekman Boys' Macaroni and Cheese with Mushrooms and Kale.

More Macaroni and Cheese from Family & Friends

Jeanette's Healthy Living: Triple Cheese Chicken Pasta Bake

Weelicious: Green Mac and Cheese
The Heritage Cook: Gluten-Free Mac and Cheese

The Sensitive Epicure: Cauliflower 'n Cheese (Gluten-Free)

From My Corner of Saratoga: Queso Mac and Cheese

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