Microwaved Horseradish-Bacon Mac and Cheddar Cheese for One

Convenient and easy homemade microwaved mac and cheese for one with creamy horseradish bacon cheddar cheese sauce. No dirtying and cleaning up pots and pans. What’s not to love?

So here is the scenario—everyone is out of the house, and you have a few hours to yourself. You want to spend it catching up on some unfinished business, or maybe it’s going to be a lazy night in, and you want to cuddle up on the couch in front of the TV. And now it’s dinner time. You are not in the mood for takeout, but you don’t want to invest time dragging out and cleaning up pots and pans to make a meal for one. This bowl of smooth, cheesy, creamy, hearty pasta and cheese, for one, is exactly what you need. It is homemade, so you know exactly what you are getting. And you can have this bowl of goodness in 12 minutes…without dragging out the pots and pans! 

I recently started microwaving my own single-serve mac and cheese style dishes. My only regret is I wished I had thought of it sooner. This pasta dish is so versatile: you can mix and match ingredients to suit your taste at the moment. Change out the pasta and use your favorite. You just need to play around with the cooking time as thicker kinds of pasta take a minute or so more to cook.

For the sauce, if you happen to have cheddar, prepared horseradish, and bacon, you can use them. But this is supposed to be a quick and easy recipe, so why go through all that trouble when you can buy a chunk of cheese that already has all three? Or you could switch out the cheese entirely. Use your favorite mixture of cheeses, or Brie, or blue cheese, or goat cheese…whatever you want. Experiment with it.

Want veggies? Add chopped broccoli, red pepper, peas, and so on. Add precooked chicken or beef. See what I mean? The possibilities are virtually endless. Just remember, swapping out or adding ingredients may take a few minutes longer for you to make this dish, but this microwaving method makes a 12-15 minute meal a piece of cake! And remember, all the cooking is in the microwave—no heating up the house and no washing pots and pans. Heck! It takes longer to get your own takeout!

Let me assure you, this microwaved mac and cheese is just as good as the traditional stovetop or oven baked version. The pasta comes out perfectly al dente. I have used this microwave method to make egg noodles with Brie and bacon. The egg noodles take even less time than elbow macaroni to cook! The sauce was silky, mild, and cheesy with a touch of saltiness. Yum! Try it out!

I need to point out that the bacon topping in today’s mac and cheese is entirely optional. Since there is already bacon in the horseradish/cheddar cheese, adding more is unnecessary. But I’m a bacon girl, so the more, the better. I frequently have leftover cooked bacon in the freezer. The recipe calls for pre-cooked bacon, but you can easily cook your own in the microwave. It literally takes less than 2 minutes (instructions are in the recipe below). I also need to address the parsley in the photos. It is there merely for your viewing pleasure. I don’t add it to my bowl when I make it for myself. Besides, who has time for chopped parsley garnish in a 12-minute meal!?  

This recipe is not only great for a party of one at home, but also perfect for settings where cooking amenities are limited, such as in student housing or hotel rooms, where microwaving may be the only cooking option. Plus, this pasta dish is great for the kids for a wholesome meal without the added preservatives and artificial additives like those store-bought versions. And this adult-size pasta for one will easily serve two children portions. Enjoy!

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Microwaved Horseradish-Bacon Mac and Cheddar Cheese for One

Author: Thao | In Good Flavor Cuisine:American Courses:Main Recipe Keys: C Carbohydrate

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: minutesCook time: 12 minutesTotal time: 12 minutesServings:1 Serving

Description

Convenient and easy homemade microwaved mac and cheese for one with creamy horseradish bacon cheddar cheese sauce. No dirtying and cleaning up pots and pans. What’s not to love?

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 tsp. salt (for pasta)
• 7 tbsp. milk
• 1/2 tsp. flour
• 2 oz. cheese of choice, shredded or very thinly sliced (I used Horseradish and Smoked Bacon Pasteurized and Process Cheddar Cheese)—see Image A
• 1 tbsp. butter, cut into 3 slices
• 1/8 tsp. salt (for the sauce)
• 1/8 tsp. black or white pepper
• 2 strips cooked bacon, finely chopped (optional) — See Note 2

Instructions

1. Place macaroni, water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large (at least 4 cups capacity) microwavable bowl. Using a bowl that is too small will allow water to spill over during cooking. Microwave on high for 10 minutes, stopping halfway to stir once.
2. 
   Image A
3. While the macaroni cooks, assemble the sauce ingredients. Pour milk into a small microwavable bowl. Whisk in the flour using a fork or spoon. Add cheese (if the cheese comes in a block, no need to take out the grater, just cut into 1/8″ x 1/2″ x 1/2″  pieces to ensure quick melting). Add butter, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
4. When pasta is cooked to al dente, remove from microwave. Cover the bowl with a large plate and drain any excess water. Keep covered. Microwave the milk/cheese mixture for 45 seconds. Stir. Microwave again for 45 seconds. Use a fork to whisk the cheese mixture smooth. Add to pasta. The sauce will seem thin at first, but allow it to sit for a minute and it will thicken. Top with preheated, cooked bacon and serve.
5. Makes 1 serving.

Notes:

• Cooking time given for a 1200 watt microwave. Cooking time might vary slightly depending on the wattage of your microwave. Increase or decrease the time as necessary.
•  If you don’t have pre-cooked bacon, you can microwave them. Place 2 pieces of paper towels on a paper plate or a microwavable plate, add uncooked bacon (flat), and top with 2 additional pieces of paper towels. Microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Rotate the plate 180 degrees once if there is no turntable. Chop or crumble when cooked and add to pasta.

Keywords:For One, Microwave, Mac and Cheese, Bacon, Horseradish

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