Meaty Mac Cheese Bake Recipes

MEATY MACARONI BAKE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Add the spaghetti sauce, water, tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes., In a large bowl, combine the eggs, oil, macaroni, mushrooms, cheeses and bread crumbs. Spoon into a 3-qt. baking dish. Top with meat mixture. , Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with additional mozzarella cheese if desired. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

MEATY MAC & CHEESE BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Coat 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray. In nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook beef until no longer pink, 3-5 minutes; spoon off fat. Stir in sloppy joe sauce; cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Meanwhile, cook macaroni according to package directions, reserving sauce packets; drain. In bowl, whisk sauce packets with milk and eggs until smooth; stir in pasta and 1 cup cheese. Spread half of macaroni mixture in dish; top with Sloppy Joe mixture, then remaining macaroni. Cover; bake until bubbly, 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.

MEATY MAC 'N' CHEESE

Steps:

• Set aside cheese sauce mix from macaroni and cheese; cook macaroni according to package directions. , Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the salsa, corn, olives and pimientos; cook until heated through. , Drain macaroni; add to beef mixture with contents of cheese sauce mix. Cook and stir until blended and heated through. Sprinkle with cheese and tomato.

MACARONI AND CHEESE CASSEROLE WITH MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cut any large meatballs in half. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.
• Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, mix milk and sauce mix with wire whisk. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in cheeses until melted. Stir in pasta and meatballs. Spoon into baking dish. In small bowl, mix butter, bread crumbs and onions; sprinkle over top.
• Bake uncovered 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly and top is golden brown.

HEARTY MAC & CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook macaroni according to package directions; set cheese packet aside. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the beef, onion and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are tender; drain., Add the soup, water, ketchup, mustard and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 4 minutes., Drain macaroni; add to beef mixture. Add the corn, cheese, contents of reserved cheese packet, butter and milk. Cook and stir until cheese and butter are melted.

MEATY MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Prepare mac and cheese according to box directions, using salted water.
• Meanwhile, brown meat and drain grease.Rinse meat if desired to remove even more grease.
• Season meat with onion and garlic- fresh and sauteed can be used instead- and add any additional seasonings that your family likes. SEE NOTE - skip if using left over meat- but do reheat the leftovers.
• Add meat to prepared mac and cheese and season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
• At this point you can add EXTRAS such as additional grated cheese, great opportunity to sneak in veggies - peas, carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, etc., Use what you like or try this to entice kids to eat things they normally wouldn't.
• I have even added some spinach to the meat mixing it in well so it is not as noticeable! Sometimes you have to be sneaky! hehehe.
• NOTE: This is even faster when you use left over taco meat, sloppy joes, crumbled meatloaf, etc -- Add what your family likes.
• No this isn't the healthiest meal- but it IS so much healthier for them than a greasy burger grabbed on the run, and you can make it as healthy as you choose- I have even used leftover homemade mac and cheese- No preservatives at all that way!
• You can 'fancy' it up by topping it with extra cheese or breadcrumbs and popping it under the broiler for a minute just to brown.
• A real time saving tip that the kids love is to put the entire mixture in a lightly sprayed casserole pan and top with biscuit dough- you can even use the ones in the can, bake per can instructions until the biscuits are done.