This recipe by the All Y’all’s (a.k.a. Miss Erin Martin) was a crowd favorite at SF Food Wars’ 2009 Mac Battle Royale with Cheese. Congratulations!

Ingredients (8)

  • 8 oz macaroni (You can use any little pasta you like.I personally like using medium sized shells, because they catch the cheese really well. Be sure to not overcook the noodles!)
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 3/4 t salt
  • 3-4 cups sharp shredded cheddar cheese. 2 cups go in the mixture, and at least one gets sprinkled on top.
  • 2 cups small curd cottage cheese
  • 1 egg slightly beaten
  • 1/2 pound of bacon, diced and cooked
  • Dashes of pepper, Tabasco Sauce and paprika to your taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350. Combine everything into a big bowl—even the grease from the bacon (gasp!)—and mix well. Spread the mixture out evenly in a greased 9×13 casserole dish, and sprinkle as much cheese as you want on top. Bake it for 45 minutes or so. You’ll know it’s done when it’s bubbly and the cheese is starting to brown on top.  
  2. This recipe lends itself really well to your own interpretations and add ins. For instance, I just started using bacon, and have also found that tomatoes work really well. I like to serve it with Chipotle Tabasco Sauce to drizzle on top. Yummmm…