Bacon Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients

• 16 ounces of elbow pasta                                        
• 16 ounces of shredded mild cheddar cheese
• 8 ounces of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 16 ounces of Velveeta original melting cheese
• 24 ounces of sour cream 
• 24 ounces of 4% small curd cottage cheese
• 9 ounces real bacon pieces
• 1 stick of salted butter, sliced
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste                         
• Smoked paprika, to taste
  
• Aluminum foil
• 1 large mixing bowl                        
• 1 large, deep tin-foil pan

Directions

1. 
   Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Boil a pot of water.
3. Pour the elbow pasta into the boiling water and cook until al dente.
4. Strain pasta while rinsing under cold water, to prevent clumps.
5. Pour pasta into the tin-foil pan with butter, salt, and pepper, then mix.
6. In a large bowl, mix the sour cream and cottage cheese with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
7. Add in two-thirds of the shredded cheeses and bacon pieces, and stir.
8. Pour the mixture into the tin-foil pan and stir until evenly distributed.
9. Cut the Velveeta cheese into cubes and scatter evenly atop the mixed pasta.
10. Cover with aluminum foil and let it cook in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour.
11. 
    Take out the tin-foil pan and stir the pasta to mix all of the cheeses.
12. Recover it with aluminum foil and let it cook in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour.
13. Take the pasta out of the oven and garnish it with the remaining cheeses and bacon pieces.
14. Sprinkle the smoked paprika on top and place it back into the oven, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes to melt the cheese.
15. Take it out of the oven and serve. 
    

Source — Christian Hunter
Prepared by Christian Hunter
Louisiana Anthology
March 23, 2022