Easy Mac and Cheese Upgrades 3 Ways

Macaroni Primavera

Crank up the class with this take on Italian primavera. Just add 1/2 jar of pesto, 1/2 jar of sun-dried tomatoes and 1/2 jar of artichokes to pre-cooked mac and cheese. Mix well and then set the pan aside. Mix parmesan and bread crumbs together in a separate bowl. Add oil from sun-dried tomatoes for extra flavor and mix together. Spoon the mac and cheese in your pan into a casserole dish and top with the mixture from the bowl. Bake until golden brown and then serve.

Southwestern Style

Include some southwestern flavor to your mac by adding unexpected ingredients. Here's how to make it:

Add 2 oz. of cream cheese to pre-cooked mac and cheese. Throw in 1/2 cup of frozen corn, 1 cup salsa and mix together. Fill a zipper-topped bag with corn chips and crush the chips so they're broken into smaller pieces. Spoon the mac and cheese into a casserole dish and top with the crushed corn chips. Add Mexican cheese on top of that and bake until the cheese is melted. Finish with green onions and serve.

Pizzaroni and Cheese

What's better than mac and cheese? Pizza and mac and cheese! Combine these two favorites for a one-of-a-kind dish. Here's how to do it. Add a 1/2 cup of marinara sauce to cooked mac and cheese. Mix well and then spoon the mac into a casserole dish. Add another 1/2 cup of marinara sauce on top and then add your toppings – we chose fresh mozzarella, pepperonis and basil. Bake until the cheese is melted and then serve.