Bombtastic Loaded Mac and Cheese Recipe?

[bisous]

DH's request for his upcoming birthday. I'm not much of a casserole type of girl but he's looking for a basic mac with some broccoli, chicken, bacon bits, and lots of cheeses. Anyone got a killer recipe??

TIA!

[elbenn]

This recipe looks awesome: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/02/pasta-ai-quattro-formaggi/

I would probably use penne pasta instead and maybe throw in a smoky type of cheese and some bacon.

[bisous]

UMMM. That looks yummy! I bet DH would love it! :)

[AnnieW625]

I like America's Test Kitchen recipe (http://www.food.com/recipe/Classic-Macaroni-and-Cheese-Americas-Test-Kitchen-260199), although I like to add Velveeta to mine. I usually end up adding peas to my mac n cheese, but you could easily add brocoli and bacon to it too. I have made it with and without breadcrumbs, but really prefer to use panko.

Pioneer Woman's Penne Ala Betsy (http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/09/cooking_with_my_punk-ass_little_sister_penne_a_la_betsy/) also looks really good, I made it without the seafood and it was good and easy. You could easily add bacon to that one too. I haven't tried the 4 cheese pasta she makes, but it does look yummy too.

This is DD1's favorite mac n cheese (outside of a cutesy yuppie home cooking place in West LA a friend brought us some from) if it's not from the box now she expects this:

Courtesy of Weight Watchers (In One Pot cookbook)--this is from memory so it might be off a bit, but you get the gist, right?

1 tbs. butter (you can add more, it doesn't hurt)
2 tbs. flour (you might want to add more, but don't add too much because you don't want it overly flour-ry)
3/4 cup of reduced fat cheddar cheese (I usually just use regular)
1/4 cup of parmesan cheese (I usually use the Kraft kind, but I bet it's even better with the fresh stuff)
1 cup of reduced or low fat milk (I usually use either 2% or 1/2 cup of whole, and 1/2 cup of 2%)
1, 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes (or if using fresh about 2 to 3 tomatoes), drained
diced onion, optional
minced garlic
salt, for pasta water
oregano, basil, or pasta sprinkle
1 box of pasta

In a sauce pan melt butter, add garlic, and onion. Add flour and create a roux. Once you have created a roux add the milk. Stir milk and roux pretty constantly until it thickens up. Once sauce has thickened up add the cheeses. Melt the cheeses. Add the diced tomatoes, and cooked pasta and stir. You could easily add veggies and bacon or other sausages to this.

[elbenn]

I have made the Penne Ala Betsy with shrimp and it's wonderful. It's not a mac and cheese recipe, though. I have also made Pioneer Woman's orange sauce (creamy tomato sauce). It's not mac and cheese either, but it is also wonderful.