Macaroni and Cheese is a staple in our home. We eat macaroni and cheese at least once a week because it is one of my husbands favorite dishes and because in Dental School sometimes you need a pick me up.
This Fancy Baked Macaroni and Cheese is absolutely delicious because it is filled with wonderful cheesy flavors, fresh tomatoes and spinach, and crunchy homemade breadcrumbs.
Homemade Breadcrumbs
2 pieces of mountain bread
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper
First, preheat oven to 400° and dice the 2 pieces of bread into little cubes.
Place the bread pieces in a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then mix in ¼ teaspoon garlic powder and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
Place the bread on a baking sheet lined with foil and sprayed with oil. Bake for 3 minutes on the top rack, then flip the bread crumbs using a spatula and bake for another 3 minutes, or until golden brown on all sides.
Let cool until ready to serve.
Fancy Baked Macaroni and Cheese
2 cups dried pasta
1 large garlic clove
1 medium tomato
1 packed cup spinach
½ stick butter
3 tablespoons half and half
¼ cup of milk
¾ + ¼ cup monetary jack cheddar cheese
¼ cup havarti cheese
¼ cup grated parmesan
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
¼ cup blue cheese
1 dash dried basil
1 dash black pepper
1 dash salt – dependent on how much blue cheese you added on top – it can have a bit of a bite!
First, cook the pasta according the package instructions, but slightly undercook the pasta by about 3-4 minutes – the pasta will continue to cook in the oven later.
While the pasta is cooking, mince 1 large garlic, dice 1 medium tomato, and wash the spinach – I also made the spinach a bit smaller at my husbands request… I’m thinking he thought if they were smaller they might disappear altogether!
Once the pasta has cooked, drain the pasta – do not rinse it – and return the pasta to the pot onto the eye that was hot. Also, preheat the oven to 350°.
Next, melt in ½ stick of butter into the pasta. Then add 3 tablespoon of half and half and ¼ cup of milk.
Mix in ¾ cup of monetary jack cheddar cheese, ¼ cup havarti cheese, and ¼ cup grated parmesan.
Then blend in 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
Next, incorporate the tomatoes, spinach, and garlic and pour the pasta into a casserole dish – ours was about 10 by 7 inches.
Then sprinkle on the ¼ cup of monetary jack cheddar cheese, a little bit of blue cheese – we used about ¼ cup, and a dash of crushed basil, salt, and black pepper.
Bake the pasta for 15-20 minutes, and then broil it for about 3 minutes – but watch carefully so that it doesn’t burn.
Top with breadcrumbs and a sprinkle of freshly ground pepper!
Fancy Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients
- Ingredients for Homemade Breadcrumbs
- 2 pieces of mountain bread
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- Ingredients for Fancy Baked Macaroni and Cheese
- 2 cups dried pasta
- 1 large garlic clove
- 1 medium tomato
- 1 packed cup spinach
- ½ stick butter
- 3 tablespoons half and half
- ¼ cup of milk
- ¾ + ¼ cup monetary jack cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup havarti cheese
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup blue cheese
- 1 dash dried basil
- 1 dash black pepper
- 1 dash salt – dependent on how much blue cheese you added on top – it can have a bit of a bite!
Instructions
- Directions for Homemade Breadcrumbs
- First, preheat oven to 400 and dice the 2 pieces of bread into little cubes.
- Place the bread pieces in a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then mix in ¼ teaspoon garlic powder and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
- Place the bread on a baking sheet lined with foil and sprayed with oil. Bake for 3 minutes on the top rack, then flip the bread crumbs using a spatula and bake for another 3 minutes, or until golden brown on all sides.
- Let cool until ready to serve.
- Directions for Fancy Baked Macaroni and Cheese
- First, cook the pasta according the package instructions, but slightly undercook the pasta by about 3-4 minutes – the pasta will continue to cook in the oven later.
- While the pasta is cooking, mince 1 large garlic, dice 1 medium tomato, and wash the spinach – I also made the spinach a bit smaller at my husbands request… I’m thinking he thought if they were smaller they might disappear altogether!
- Once the pasta has cooked, drain the pasta – do not rinse it – and return the pasta to the pot onto the eye that was hot. Also, preheat the oven to 350°.
- Next, melt in ½ stick of butter into the pasta. Then add 3 tablespoon of half and half and ¼ cup of milk.
- Mix in ¾ cup of monetary jack cheddar cheese, ¼ cup havarti cheese, and ¼ cup grated parmesan.
- Then blend in 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
- Next, incorporate the tomatoes, spinach, and garlic and place in a casserole dish – ours was about 10 by 7.
- Then sprinkle on the ¼ cup of monetary jack cheddar cheese, a little bit of blue cheese – we used about ¼ cup, and a dash of crushed basil and black pepper.
- Bake the pasta for 15-20 minutes, and then broil it for about 3 minutes – but watch carefully so that it doesn’t burn.
- Don’t worry about leftovers, you probably won’t have any left!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
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