Mac-N-Cheese

This recipe has a lot of ingredients but it really isn’t that hard to make. It just takes a bit of prep. Once you get all your ingredients prepped, the assembly and cook time goes quite fast. So be prepared!

One more note: You will notice I added no salt. I think the ham and the bacon give it plenty of salt, so taste before you salt!

1. Boil noodles in lightly salted water.
2. Cut bacon into 1-inch chunks and fry it up.
3. You can roast your own chicken, but I just bought mine from the grocery store already roasted! Pull 2 cups of meat off your chicken and cut into medium-sized cubes. (Use the rest for P-Dub’s yummy chicken salad.)
4. Dice up your 1 cup of ham.
5. Prep all of your veggies and spices.
6. Shred your cheeses, get your cream out and measured.
7. Now transfer your cooked bacon (and the grease) to a Dutch oven or good sized pan (6-quart is a good size). Don’t drain your bacon; you want the grease—it makes the dish yummier!
8. Over medium heat add the chicken and ham, and garlic and mushrooms. Let these cook 3-5 minutes until mushrooms start to brown.
9. Now toss in your washed tomatoes and snow peas. Let them heat through just a minute, you want them to hold their freshness and not get mushy.
10. Add basil, thyme and pepper.
11. Now, add the cheese. Add all of it and if you are exceedingly naughty, add MORE! Let the cheeses melt a minute.
12. Pour in the cream and gently fold everything together.
13. Add about 6 cups of the cooked noodles or more depending on how saucy you want it.
14. We eat it just like this. But if you really want to get fancy you could put it in little dishes sprinkle with buttered bread crumbs and bake them under the broiler for a minute!