Easy Macaroni and Cheese Bites Appetizer
By
sylvia bourque
@saleenasmom
15
Indulge in your favorite comfort food, minus the guilt, with our homemade macaroni and cheese bites. I've added toasted Panko, bacon and parsley to give this dish a gourmet edge.
Blue Ribbon Recipe
Yum! These mac and cheese bites are cheesy, crispy, and delicious. The mix of Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses makes these bites nice and cheesy. We recommend adding the Dijon mustard, it gives a slight tang to the bites. Smoky bacon is the perfect topping. By coating the tins with bread crumbs, they really do come out easy but it also adds a slight crunch to the mac and cheese. These will make a fun party appetizer, but would also be yummy at a luncheon or for game night.
Ingredients
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1 Tbspunsalted butter
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1/4 cPanko breadcrumbs, seasoned or plain
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2 cuncooked elbow macaroni
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1egg, beaten
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2 cshredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided in half
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1 cshredded sharp cheddar cheese
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4strips bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
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1/2 tspsalt
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1 tspDijon mustard (optional)
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1 cwhole milk
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1 tspfinely chopped parsley (1/2 tsp dry)
How to Make Easy Macaroni and Cheese Bites Appetizer
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease mini muffin tin generously with butter or non-stick spray.
- Coat insides of mini-muffin tin with bread crumbs (to help the bites hold their shape).
- Bring large pot of lightly salted water to a boil and add macaroni. Cook 4-5 minutes, just until softened but not cooked through. Remove from heat, drain and return to pot.
- Stir in butter and egg until pasta is evenly coated.
- Mix in bacon, mustard, milk, salt, and cheeses (reserving 1 cup Jack cheese).
- Then spoon into muffin tin, press filling gently with fingers (to help the bites hold their shape). Top with reserved cheese.
- Bake 15-20 minutes or until top is golden brown.
- Allow muffins to cool slightly before removing from pan. Garnish with parsley and enjoy.
