Homemade Mac and Cheese

When was the last time you looked at the ingredient list on one of those blue boxes of Mac n Cheese? Next time you are at the grocery store, take a few minutes to see if there is anything in the list that you recognize. Check out this photo of the nutrition facts courtesy of Change.org:

"This product may have adverse effect on activity and attention in children"... Hmmm. Not only that, but why is it necessary to add food dyes? Why have we bought into the lie that cheese is yellow?  I won't even start on the ingredients in that list that I can't pronounce or the use of genetically modified wheat.

Years ago, we stopped purchasing the store bought Mac n cheese. Occasionally, we will keep Annie's in the pantry for a convenient meal, but honestly, the recipe for home made Mac n cheese I am about to share with you takes about 15-20 minutes to make from start to finish. That is pretty convenient for a meal that every one in my family devours and loves and that is real food!

Homemade Mac n Cheese

What you need:

8 oz bacon (we use Applegate Farms or a local bacon from Urban Acres)

1 bunch green onions

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 1/2 cups milk (raw milk if available)

8 oz cheese (we use mozzarella - an easy cheese to find locally)

12-16 oz pasta of your choice

Here's how you do it:

1.  Cook pasta according to instructions.

2. Meanwhile, cook bacon until slightly crispy in a large skillet.

3. Set bacon aside to drain and dispose of bacon grease (or set aside to use later).

4. Melt butter in the same skillet that you used to cook the bacon. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, stirring consistently so that the garlic does not burn. This only takes about 1 minute.

5. Add the milk, stir and heat until warm.  Do not boil.

6. Add the cheese to the milk and stir constantly until the cheese is melted.  This is the hardest part because it requires a little patience and some attention.  Add more milk if you think the mixture is too thick.

7. Add the bacon and green onions and stir.

8. Add the pasta and stir until well combined.

The possibilities of this dish are endless. Try various mix ins instead of bacon and green onion, experiment with various cheese combinations, add your favorite veggies and some left over chicken.... So many delicious possibilities! 

Enjoy!