Spicy Smoky Macaroni and Cheese with Turkey Bacon

This is my favorite macaroni and cheese recipe. You can adjust the amounts of paprika, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper to suit your tastes. I like spicy food so the recipe as it is written is spicy.

• Preparation Time: 10 mins
• Cooking Time: 35 mins
• Total Time: 45 mins
• Calories: 747 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• ½ cup fat free half-and-half
• 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked shell pasta
• 10 slices turkey bacon
• 1 (1 pound) loaf processed cheese food (such as Velveeta®), cubed
• ⅜ teaspoon smoked paprika

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Bring a large pot with lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Stir in the shell pasta and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 13 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.

Step 2

While the pasta is cooking, place the turkey bacon strips between two paper towels on a microwave-safe plate. Cook in the microwave on High until the bacon is crispy, 4 to 6 minutes depending on the microwave. Allow the bacon to cool; crumble and set aside.

Step 3

Once the pasta has cooked and is draining, combine the processed cheese, cream, and half-and-half in the pot that was used to cook the pasta. Cook and stir over medium heat until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbly. Remove from the heat; stir in the paprika, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and crumbled turkey bacon. Stir the cooked pasta into the sauce until evenly coated.