Crescent Mac And Cheese Bites Food

KIDS CAN MAKE: MAC 'N' CHEESE BITES

Steps:

• Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, and preheat to 400 degrees F. Line 2 or 3 mini-muffin pans with liners, and coat the liners generously with cooking spray.
• Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Drain the macaroni and rinse under cold water until cool. Drain again and shake off any excess water.
• Put the heavy cream, cream cheese, eggs, mustard, paprika and garlic in a large bowl. Beat on low speed with an electric mixer until combined (the mixture may have small lumps). Add the macaroni, Cheddar and Monterey jack, and stir until combined.
• Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of the mac 'n' cheese into the prepared muffin liners. Combine the breadcrumbs and butter with your fingers in a small bowl until the mixture is the texture of wet sand. Sprinkle the top of each mac 'n' cheese mound with the buttered breadcrumbs.
• Bake until the cheese is melted and the bites are golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before serving hot or at room temperature. Serve with hot sauce on the side, if desired.

MAC 'N' CHEESE BITES

Steps:

• To make the toppings, heat half the oil in a frying pan over a high heat, and cook the mushrooms for 10 mins until golden. Stir in half the garlic and the parsley, and fry for 1 min more. Season and scrape into a bowl. Heat the rest of the oil in the pan and fry the remaining garlic and the breadcrumbs for 3-5 mins, stirring until crisp. Scrape into a second bowl.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, then stir in the flour to make a thick paste. Gradually add the milk, a splash at a time, whisking until it's all incorporated. Cook for 2-3 mins more until thickened. Meanwhile, cook the macaroni in a pan of boiling salted water for 5-6 mins. Stir the cheddar into the white sauce until all the cheese has melted, then fold in the macaroni.
• Butter a 12-hole muffin tin and divide the mac 'n' cheese between the holes, packing it in with the back of a spoon. Top with the mushroom mixture, olives or sundried tomato slices, then scatter over the grated cheese and garlic breadcrumbs. Will keep, covered in the fridge, for up to 24 hrs.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Bake for 15 mins until golden and piping hot. Leave to cool for 10-15 mins in the tin, then loosen by running a spoon around the edges. Transfer to a plate.

MAC & CHEESE BACON BITES

Steps:

• Cook the pasta for 4 minutes less than the package instructions. Drain and set aside, reserving 1⁄4 cup of the pasta cooking water.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and then add the flour. Whisk together, cooking until the flour resembles wet sand and begins to smell nutty and fragrant. Add the milk, whisking until there is no lumps. Bring to a boil and cook for one minute, stirring often.
• Remove from heat and stir in the cheese. Season generously with pepper and add salt to taste (this will depend on the saltiness of your cheese.) Add the pasta and fold together until the pasta is coated, add 1 tablespoon of the pasta cooking water, if necessary, to loosen.
• Lightly grease a muffin tin and line each cup with a piece of precooked bacon to come up sides of cup. Spoon mac and cheese into each of the cups and then top with some Italian panko breadcrumbs.
• Bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown. Remove and allow to cool 5-10 minutes to settle into cups before removing and serving.

MAC AND CHEESE BITES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F
• Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions until just shy of al dente. Drain well.
• Meanwhile, lightly grease standard size muffin pans with cooking spray.
• In a medium bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, ½ cup of the shredded cheese, and melted butter and mix with a fork until combined. Spoon a bit of the mixture into the bottom of each muffin well and tamp down with the flat bottom of a glass or other.
• Once the pasta is cooked and drained, add it to a large mixing bowl with the remaining shredded cheese, the boursin and cold butter.
• In a liquid measuring cup, combine the eggs, milk, and sour cream and whisk to combine.
• Add the liquid mixture to the bowl with the pasta.
• Stir in the salt and red pepper flakes and mix until evenly combined.
• Divide the macaroni mixture between the prepared muffin wells.
• Bake until light golden, about 20-25 minutes. Let cool in the muffin pans at least 10-15 minutes, then carefully remove from the pan and serve warm.