Baked Mac ‘n’ Cheese Recipe

A classic casserole dish from the 1950s. This dish is characterized by it’s ease of preparation and savory, cheesy flavor. Tasting Guidelines: Taste is savory and cheesy with a hint of salty. Weight is heavy but can be balanced with vinegar. Texture is soft. Good for people with low to moderate treatment side effects. Best categorized as comfort food.

baked mac n cheese recipe for cancer and chemotherapy by chef ryan callahan and cooking for chemo
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Baked Mac ‘n’ Cheese Recipe

A classic casserole dish from the 1950s. This dish is characterized by it's ease of preparation and savory, cheesy flavor. Tasting Guidelines: Taste is savory and cheesy with a hint of salty. Weight is heavy but can be balanced with vinegar. Texture is soft. Good for people with low to moderate treatment side effects. Best categorized as comfort food.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cheddar, cheese, comfort food, easy, mac n cheese, macaroni
Servings: 16 Servings
Calories: 225kcal
Author: Chef Ryan Callahan
Cost: $15

Equipment

  • Saute Pan
  • Casserole Dish
  • Strainer
  • 1.5 Gallon Pot (spaghetti pot)

Ingredients

Food Ingredients:

  • 4 slices crispy bacon chopped
  • 1 lb. elbow macaroni cooked in salted water.
  • 8 oz. sharp cheddar shredded
  • 8 oz. American cheddar shredded
  • 1/2 yellow onion chopped
  • 1 c. milk
  • 1 tbsp. butter
  • 1 tbsp. flour

Flavor Balancers:

  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/2 tbsp. black pepper
  • 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 tbsp. sugar

Aromatics:

  • 1 tbsp. garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp. bay seasoning

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 375°F .
  • In a large sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat.
  • Add onion and garlic.
  • Allow onions to caramelize stirring frequently.
  • Stir in flour until butter is absorbed.
  • Add milk.
  • Stir thoroughly, avoiding burning the milk.
  • Add seasonings and cheese.
  • Mix thoroughly, and taste for flavor.
  • Slowly stir in macaroni.
  • If there is not enough sauce, slowly add milk until pasta is thoroughly coated.
  • Adjust seasonings as necessary.
  • Bake in deep casserole dish at least 15 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Notes

To make this more of a meal, add some cooked, cubed chicken breast. This is a fantastic meal in itself or used as a side.

Cooking for Chemo focuses on teaching you how to make your food taste good again during cancer and chemotherapy treatments. The flavor and cooking techniques contained within our easy to make recipes will help improve your quality of life as you go through cancer and chemotherapy treatments. Our cooking and flavor techniques can be integrated with any diet regimen. Talk with your dietitian to come up with a quality nutrition plan. This site is not to be taken as or used instead of professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor, oncologist, and dietitian before starting any new diet.

This recipe is taken from Cooking for Chemo …and After! By Chef Ryan Callahan -The Cancer Chef. For more cooking for chemotherapy recipes like this, you can pick up a copy on Amazon . Have specific questions? Email us at [email protected]

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