Reviewed: Sep. 10, 2012

I’m not usually fond of mac and cheese, but we thought this was very good. I used rotini pasta to capture all the delicious sauce. Yummy.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
0 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

Deb C

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Living In: Peabody, Massachusetts, USA

Reviewed: Sep. 10, 2012

This turned out pretty good. The family all liked it. It was easy to make, and we all enjoyed it.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
0 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

Blueberry

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Living In: Kansas City, Missouri, USA

Reviewed: Sep. 9, 2012

This was pretty good. I used extra sharp cheddar and a pound of Cavatappi pasta instead of the penne. I also fried and crumbled bacon instead of using the bacon bits, and left out the red bell pepper. Diced onions would be a nice addition in here. For the topping I mixed a little bit of shredded cheddar in with the panko. Yummy.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
2 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

Rae

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Living In: San Antonio, Texas, USA

Reviewed: Sep. 9, 2012

I thought the flavor on this was pretty good. I also think the ratio was off on the amount of pasta you need. I made a letter extra pasta and added almost another cup to the sauce and it was a good consistency. I also used fresh bacon instead of bacon bits. Honestly, this didn't seem any faster to me than making a mac and cheese homeade from scratch. My family would prefer the homeade and I am not using anything canned so I can control the sodium levels & not use a processed food. I don't plan on making this again.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
1 user found this review helpful

Reviewer:

happyschmoopies

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Sidman, Pennsylvania, USA

Living In: High Point, North Carolina, USA

Reviewed: Sep. 9, 2012

I followed the recipe nearly exactly---used two fresh garlic cloves and several pieces of newly fried bacon. I ran out of panko so used Progresso Italian bread crumbs and parmesan cheese on top. We thought this was a good side dish. You could add leftover chicken or turkey to this to make it a main meal. Thanks, Progresso!

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
1 user found this review helpful

Reviewer:

Marianne

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Reviewed: Sep. 9, 2012

I used fresh garlic, and five strips of center-cut bacon (one of which was used for the garnish), and cooked for 30 minutes. This actually turned out pretty well, was plenty creamy, and relatively easy to put together. The Italian panko bread crumbs really give the dish some texture, so don't skip that ingredient. I still like my old family mac 'n cheese recipe better, but I wouldn't hesitate to make this again, adding some chopped onion, as I do with my favorite mac 'n cheese recipe .

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
45 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

lutzflcat

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Living In: Lutz, Florida, USA

Reviewed: Sep. 9, 2012

This is now my go to comfort food recipe! I couldn't find the Progresso sauce so I used Ragu cheese sauce. It was amazing! It took a little bit longer than I anticipated but was totally worth it. I am very glad I tried this.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
0 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

Kate Merriam

Reviewed: Sep. 9, 2012

I went ahead and used an entire box (1 lb.) of penne which is about 1 cup more than called for here. I hate to open a box and not use it all. For us the pasta to sauce ratio was just right with this change. I also cooked up a batch of bacon instead of using the packaged variety. I find it difficult to shred processed cheese because it is very soft so instead, I cubed it and dropped it into the sauce mixture while it was simmering and allowed it to melt. I LOVE the Progresso Italian style panko bread crumbs and they are a staple in my pantry. They add nice texture to the dish and the red bell pepper adds nice color contrast. I made this for my two teenage boys and although it isn't the same as "from scratch" they seemed pleased. Especially with the bacon :)

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
10 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

Valerie's Kitchen

Home Town: Sunnyvale, California, USA

Living In: San Jose, California, USA

Reviewed: Sep. 8, 2012

There were mixed reviews on this in my house...I thought it came out pretty good but my kids said it was just ok for them, they are used to moms mac n cheese and this just wasn't it! I subbed the cheese loaf for shredded mild cheddar and I fried and crumbled bacon. It was easy to throw together if you are looking for something quick.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
1 user found this review helpful

Reviewer:

Carrie C.

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Mc Keesport, Pennsylvania, USA

Living In: Leroy Township, Ohio, USA

Reviewed: Sep. 8, 2012

I threw this together after a busy day of baking, because I had little time and most of the ingredients on hand. I substituted medium pasta shells for the penne pasta, 1/2 cup more of the cheddar cheese for the "American cheese loaf," and I fried up and crumbled 8 slices of bacon instead of using pre-cooked, packaged bacon. I didn't have panko crumbs, so I topped it with pulled bread crumbs drizzled with butter before I baked it. My family loved it....there were only a couple of bites left.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
1 user found this review helpful