We know plenty of people have started adding ham and bacon to their macaroni cheese. We bulked ours up with brown mushrooms, eggs and smoked paprika. Keep it vegetarian and try our smoky mac & cheese for dinner tonight.

SERVES 6 // COOKING TIME 50 min

INGREDIENTS
85g butter
⅓ cup flour
1L milk
200g mature cheddar, grated
Salt and pepper
250g brown mushrooms, sliced
Olive oil, to fry
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chopped thyme
500g macaroni, cooked as per packet instructions
2 eggs
1 tbsp chopped parsley

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Place the butter and flour in a pot. Cook for about 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Add the milk slowly, while whisking.
3. Simmer the sauce over low heat until it thickens. Add two-thirds of the cheese and season well with salt and pepper.
4. Fry mushrooms in oil until browned, 10 minutes. Season well and add paprika and thyme.
5. Stir the mushrooms through the cooked pasta, along with the white sauce, eggs and parsley.
6. Spoon into an ovenproof dish, top with the remaining cheese and bake for 20–30 minutes.

The post Smoky mac & cheese appeared first on MyKitchen.

Everyone knows broccoli and melted cheese are a match made in heaven. This is a great way to enjoy your favourite comfort dish and still get in your greens, not to mention this macaroni cheese is budget-friendly to boot.

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 30 mins

INGREDIENTS
60g butter
3 tbsp flour
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2½ cups milk
1 tsp mustard
200g cheddar, grated
Salt and pepper
½ broccoli, broken into florets
500g macaroni, cooked as per packet instructions

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat, then whisk in the flour and garlic. Fry for 1 minute then remove from the heat and whisk in the milk slowly, a little at a time.
3. Return the pot to the heat, stirring constantly until the mixture begins to thicken. Turn off the heat when it starts to bubble. Stir in the mustard and 150g of the cheese, and season.
4. Bring a pot of water to the boil. Add the broccoli and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Toss the macaroni with the cheese sauce, then spoon it into a large oven dish. Stud with the broccoli florets and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 10 minutes until golden and bubbling. Season with pepper and serve warm.

The post Broccoli-studded macaroni cheese appeared first on MyKitchen.