Semi-Homemade Broccoli Pancetta Mac & Cheese

Tonight at my house, everyone but me was sick, which meant that I got to choose what was for dinner! Since I didn't feel like going through the whole production of doing an entire dinner from scratch, I decided to make use of some of the mac & cheese that was in our pantry (Annie's, of course!). Instead of just plain mac & cheese, I thought I'd add some vegetables and a little flavor. Of course, you could always substitute homemade mac & cheese and I'm sure it would be even more delicious!

What you'll need:

• broccoli crowns
• pancetta
• a box of mac & cheese (I used Annie's whole wheat shells with white cheddar)
• garlic
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

How To:

1. Chop up the broccoli into smallish pieces. As you can see, I went for a very rough but pretty small chop instead of the traditional large bites of broccoli (I find it more managable that way, plus the smaller size makes it so you can get more flavors into each bite).
2. To quickly cook the broccoli, put it in a frying pan with a thin layer of boiling water in it (depending on how much broccoli you use, you may need a little more). Cover the broccoli in the pan for only a minute or two. You will know when it's cooked perfectly when the color has gone from its original grey-ish green to a bright green. If there is excess water in the pan, just drain it out.
3. While the broccoli is cooking, chop up some pancetta (I used 2 slices of relatively thin pieces). You can make it however large or small you like. Once the broccoli is cooked and the excess water is out of the pan, add olive oil (about 2-3 tablespoons) to the pan. Then add the pancetta on medium to medium high heat. The pancetta will take a few minutes to cook.
4. Mince a clove of garlic (you could always use more or less depending on how garlic-y you like your food) and add it to the broccoli and pancetta.
5. While the pancetta is cooking, make the mac & cheese according to the directions on the box (this may vary based on which brand you use).
6. Once your mac & cheese is done (pasta cooked, tossed with sauce) add it to the pan of broccoli and pancetta. Let it cook for a minute or two on medium to medium low heat just so the flavors can all mix. The extra minute in the pan also adds an awesome flavor and texture to the pasta.
7. Plate and enjoy!



cooking broccoli to perfection



pancetta..is there anything more delicious than italian bacon?





minced garlic




sauté cooked broccoli, pancetta, and garlic with olive oil




boil pasta




finished mac & cheese




sauté mac & cheese with broccoli, pancetta, and garlic




voilà!