As I've mentioned before, I just can't follow recipes, even my own recipes! I always end up changing something. So, when I made my favorite macaroni and hot dog casserole the other day, I started adding ingredients not on the list (after cream cheese improved the texture of my favorite soup so much I thought it might also work with the macaroni and cheese, particularly since I was using generic cheesy mac and wasn't sure how great it would be). Then I saw that I had half a bag of frozen broccoli left over from the soup and added that as well. And while this was one of my favorite recipes before, I like the new improved recipe even more! I strongly suggest not making it on a Thursday, which I somehow always end up doing, because if you don't eat meat on Friday's it could be a near occasion of sin (I've spent the last two Fridays after I made this being strongly tempted to heat up the leftovers!). :0)
It's really that good!
Here's the new recipe:
1 lb of your favorite macaroni
1 onion1 can peas (drained)
6 pieces of bacon (cooked)
3 hot dogs
8 oz cheddar cheese
½ cup milk
1/2 bag frozen broccoli (ends up being about 13 oz)
1 package cream cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cook your favorite macaroni and cheese according the your recipe. Chop onion. Crumble bacon. Half and the slice hot dogs into small, half moon shaped pieces. Grate cheese.
Combine cooked macaroni and cheese, onion, bacon, brocolli, peas and hot dog in a baking pan. Stir. Add milk and cream cheese. Stir. Sprinkle cheese so dish is covered.
Cook at 400 degrees for 16 minutes. Allow to set for five minutes and serve! This made about six servings in our house!
