What should I add to my Mac and Cheese?

I've got a big pan of homemade mac and cheese with meat and fresh parsley and I'm at a loss for what else I should add. Any suggestions are helpful.. besides ones that say add more cheese.. because I'm out of cheese. 

Comments

[canucksgirl]

BACON! or prosciutto works very well with Mac and Cheese. For vegetables, I find green beans or asparagus (fresh or frozen, not canned) to work really well if you cut them to bite sized pieces and partially steam them before adding. I like them more than broccoli, as I find broccoli to be too overpowering if you aren't using strong cheeses. Also, if you're a little adventurous, try adding some chopped pickled jalapenos. They create a nice kick to the Mac and Cheese, plus the mild acidity balances the fattiness of the dish. And the last thing I will suggest is bread crumbs as a topping, preferably "Panko Bread Crumbs" (a Japanese type that's become more widely available and extremely popular). What you'll want to do is melt a tablespoon of butter (to each cup of bread crumbs) in a sauce pan, and stir in the crumbs until they've evenly absorbed the butter. Then sprinkle atop your mac and cheese (in a large casserole dish or individual serving dishes), and set under the broiler until the bread crumbs are lightly toasted and crunchy. They make a very nice contrast with the creaminess of the dish. :-)

[rickharris]

Something green

[Jack A Lopez]

broccoli, tomatoes, and garlic

[steveastrouk]

Worcestershire sauce

[blkhawk]

SPAM meat, broccoli, tuna, corn, or mixed vegetables.

[kelseymh]

You've already got meat in it. Minced (very finely minced) onion would be a good complement.

[Vyger]

Bacon

[Re-design]

Can of Rotel tomatoes.