Baked Mac and Cheese

Easy Baked Macaroni and Cheese

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I always prepare the boy’s packed lunch for school but once a month he gets to choose from the school’s online range of healthy, yummy food.  One of his favorites from the menu is Macaroni Cheese, which may be called Macaroni and Cheese in your part of the world.

Take note, my Filipino friends, if you’re looking for the Filipino-style baked mac with tomato-based meat sauce, this is not it.  But it’s worth a try… a lot easier to make and your kids will surely love it.

 

Ingredients:
2 cups macaroni elbows
3 tbsp butter
1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
6 pcs bacon
3 tbsp flour
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
Bacon bits (optional)

Cook macaroni elbows until al dente according to packet instructions.  Drain and set aside.  Then preheat oven to 200 deg C.

Melt butter in a large saucepan.  Cook onion and bacon lightly for about 3 minutes.  In the meantime, heat milk slightly in the microwave for about 30 seconds.

Carefully blend in flour into the saucepan.  Gradually stir in heated milk, then add salt and mustard.  Bring to boil.

Stir in 1 cup grated cheese and simmer for about 5 minutes.  Turn off the heat.  Add macaroni and mix to coat pasta evenly with the sauce.  Transfer into a well-greased baking tray.  Sprinkle with 1 cup of grated cheese and bacon bits.

Bake at 200 deg C for about 20 minutes or until cheese is nicely browned.


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Easy Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Author: 
Recipe type: Main
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 3-4
 
Ingredients
  • 2 cups macaroni elbows
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
  • 6 pcs bacon
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
  • Bacon bits (optional)
Instructions
  1. Cook macaroni elbows until al dente according to packet instructions. Drain and set aside. Then preheat oven to 200 deg C.
  2. Melt butter in a large saucepan. Cook onion and bacon lightly for about 3 minutes. In the meantime, heat milk slightly in the microwave for about 30 seconds.
  3. Carefully blend in flour into the saucepan. Gradually stir in heated milk, then add salt and mustard. Bring to boil.
  4. Stir in 1 cup grated cheese and simmer for about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add macaroni and mix to coat pasta evenly with the sauce. Transfer into a well-greased baking tray. Sprinkle with 1 cup of grated cheese and bacon bits.
  5. Bake at 200 deg C for about 20 minutes or until cheese is nicely browned.
Notes
Preparation time included in total Cook Time.

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Iska
I am not a professional cook. My only claim to having a culinary background is a short stint as my dad’s teen ‘sous chef’ in his carinderia ages ago. Dad ran small eateries since I was a young kid - serving standard ‘turo-turo’ food ranging from the likes of menudo, adobo, pritong isda, dinuguan, binagoongan, bopis, munggo, pinakbet and giniling to merienda fares like goto, ginataan, pancit bihon, halu-halo and saging con yelo.

My father, a farmer in his hometown before working his way to becoming an accountant, definitely influenced my cooking in a lot of ways than I thought. My siblings and I were raised in a backyard full of fruit trees and vegetable garden. We spent weekends and the summer breaks running around with ducks, chickens, goats and pigs. I had wonderful memories of gathering eggs, butchering chickens, selling vegetables and the sweet aroma of preserved fruits. But my love for art led me to a degree in Architecture. Just few months after getting my license, I went abroad and lived independently at age 23. Definitely no maid, no cook, and a totally different food culture. Along the way I met lots of friends and spent what seemed a lifetime learning new tricks and recipes.

Now living in Auckland, I am a work-from-home mum who juggles time between work, fun and family - in pursuit of work-life balance. No matter how busy I am, I love the idea of cooking for my family. My blog chronicles home cooking greatly influenced by life outside my home country from Southeast Asia to Beijing and Auckland. And most of the time, being busy also means easy (sometimes quick), affordable meals.

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