Crab Mac and Cheese

Browned, gooey, and scrumptious looking! 

I can't wait to dig in!

spread the cooked medium pasta shells 

into a 9x13 casserole dish.

Stir the cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese, into the simmered,

thickened milk.

Continue stirring until all the cheese is melted and 

the sauce is a uniform color.

Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta, and carefully

fold and stir the sauce into all the parts of the pan, 

covering all the pasta with cheese. 

Here I added some additional lump crab to the top 

of the mac n' cheese, just so when served it would 

seem extra decadent with crab lumps, and not just 

the crab pieces that go stirred into the sauce. 

Sprinkle with the reserved cheddar cheese, 

the crumbled bacon, and the buttered panko. 

Put in the oven to bake. 

I put a cookie sheet under the casserole dish, because the 

dish was so full, I did not want the cheese bubbling out of the pan

and making a mess in my oven. That way I caught the drips and 

oil before the mess occurred.

As Always, 

ENJOY!

Recipe Source: Spicy Southern Kitchen

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
• 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• salt to taste, I used 1/2 teaspoon
• 1 (16-ounce) box medium pasta shells cooked according to package directions
• 2 (5-ounce) cans Chicken of the Sea crab
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1/3 cup Panko crumbs

Instructions

1. Cook bacon in a large nonstick pan. Remove, crumble, and set aside.
2. Add butter to grease in pan and cook onion until soft.
3. Add flour to pan and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
4. Gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat.
5. Stir in 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning. Set aside 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and stir remaining cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese in until melted.
6. Check for seasoning and add salt to taste.
7. Drain crab and stir into cheese mixture.
8. Place cooked pasta in a 9X13-inch casserole dish. Pour cheese sauce on top and mix.
9. Sprinkle reserved cheese on top along with bacon.
10. In a small bowl, stir together Panko crumbs and melted butter. Sprinkle on top of mac and cheese.
11. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.
12. Broil for 2-3 minutes (watching closely) to brown bread crumbs