Bacon Pimento Macaroni And Cheese Recipes

MAC 'N CHEESE WITH BACON AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the macaroni and cook for 8 to 9 minutes, until al dente. Drain.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a small saucepan heat the milk with the thyme sprigs and 2 garlic cloves. Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, to keep lumps from forming. Strain the solids out of the milk and whisk it into the butter and flour mixture. Continue to whisk vigorously, and cook until the mixture is nice and smooth. Stir in the 4 cups of the cheese and continue to cook and stir to melt the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cooked macaroni and the parsley and fold that all in to coat the macaroni with the cheese mixture. Scrape into a 3-quart baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
• While that bakes, heat a saute pan. Add the bacon, render the fat and cook until crispy. Add onion, garlic and thyme leaves and cook for about 5 minutes to soften the onion. Season with salt and pepper.
• To serve, scatter the bacon mixture over the mac and cheese. Use a big spoon to scoop out servings, making sure you get some of the smoking bacon mixture on each spoonful.

BACON PIMENTO MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler. Spray five 1-cup ramekins with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a large Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove from the Dutch oven and drain on paper towels. Reserve 1/4 cup bacon drippings in the Dutch oven, and discard any remaining drippings. Crumble the bacon set aside.
• Add the butter to the drippings, and heat over medium-high heat until the butter melts. Whisk in the flour, whisking until smooth. Whisk in the half-and-half, and cook until the mixture is thickened and smooth, whisking constantly.
• Add the ground red pepper. Stir in the cream cheese and let melt. Add the pimentos and bacon. Season with the salt and pepper. Add 2 cups smoked Cheddar and 2 cups Parmesan.
• Spoon the pasta mixture evenly into the prepared ramekins. Top with the remaining 1 cup Cheddar and 1 cup Parmesan. Broil until cheese is lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

PIMENTO MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook macaroni in boiling water for approximately 12 minutes or until pasta is tender. Drain and set aside.
• In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir flour into the melted butter until combined. Stirring ocassionally, cook for 2 minutes'.
• Add milk and keep stirring until flour mixture has has thickened. Once thickened, add 1 cup of Palmetto Cheese and remove from the heat.
• Stir until combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• In oven safe bowls combine macaroni and the cheese sauce until mixed thoroughly. Spoon remaining Palmetto Cheese over the top. Bake at 350F until bubbly, approximately 25 minutes.
• Right before removing from oven, top with crumbled bacon and bread crumbs if desired.

BAKED MACARONI AND PIMENTO CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook macaroni according to the package; drain.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter.
• Whisk in flour gradually until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute.
• Gradually, whisk in the milk, salt, cayenne pepper and garlic powder. Cook,.
• while whisking frequently for 3-5 minutes or until thickened.
• Add cheddar cheese and pimentos; cook until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth.
• Remove from heat and stir in pasta.
• In a baking dish with cooking spray (9-by-13 in.), spoon pasta mixture.
• In a bowl, add parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Sprinkle over pasta mixture.
• Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden and bubbly!

CHEDDAR-BACON MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cook macaroni as directed on package. Meanwhile, melt butter in large saucepan on low heat. Stir in flour; cook 2 min. or until bubbly. Gradually stir in milk; cook on medium heat until mixture comes to boil, stirring constantly. Simmer on low heat 3 to 5 min. or until thickened. Add 1 1/2 cups cheese; cook and stir 5 min. or until melted.
• Drain macaroni. Add to sauce with bacon; mix lightly. Spoon into 1 1/2 quart casserole; top with remaining cheese.
• Bake 20 min. or until heated through.