Rockin Bacon Mac N Cheese Recipes

KILLER MAC AND CHEESE WITH BACON

Steps:

• Drizzle a bit of olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the bacon and set the pan over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels. Do not discard the bacon fat: Reserve that deliciousness!
• Add the butter and onion to the pan with the bacon fat; season with salt and cook until the onion is soft and aromatic, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture looks like wet sand, about 3 minutes.
• Slowly whisk in the milk, mustard and a few shakes of Tabasco. Season with salt and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the mixture is slightly thicker than heavy cream, 6 to 8 more minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook 1 minute less than the instructions on the package suggest. Taste it: It should be toothsome, with just a little nugget of hard pasta still in the center-this is al dente. Drain the pasta.
• Add the Cheddar, fontina and Parmesan to the milk mixture and whisk to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed, adding a little more milk if the mixture seems too thick. Stir in the cooked bacon and pasta. The mixture should be very creamy and flavorful. Serve immediately. (If making ahead, transfer to a baking dish or ramekins, then reheat in a 375 degree oven.)

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 MAC N' CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 350F (180C).
• Toss the chopped bacon and water into a thick-bottomed stockpot over medium-high heat. By adding water you allow the bacon to gradually release its fat and brown evenly without burning. Continue cooking until the water evaporates and the bacon crisps nicely.
• Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside, but leave the fat. Add the garlic and stir for several minutes to release its flavor. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until it forms a smooth paste or roux. Cook for a few minutes more to toast the roux and allow it to develop a bit more flavor.
• Add the milk and switch to a whisk for stirring. Whisk until the sauce is smooth again and continue cooking, and whisking, for about 5 minutes or so, until the sauce is quite thick.
• Stir in the cheese, Dijon, paprika, hot sauce and Worcestershire. Season with salt and pepper.
• Toss in the pasta and the reserved bacon, coat them well with the sauce and turn it all into a 9- X 13-inch (3.5 L) casserole or baking dish.
• Toss the bread with a splash or two of olive oil, then sprinkle it over the cheese mixture. Bake until it is heated through and the bread is toasty brown, about 30 minutes or so.
• If your house is anything like mine, they've already smelled the bacon and are lined up, waiting to share!
• Freestyle Twist: Bacon is dandy but feel free to add your own twist by switching it for grilled chicken, lobster or ham! Toss in some peas or any other vegetable you have on hand add color and flavor to your personalized mac n' cheese.

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.

BACON MAC AND CHEESE BOMBS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray; set aside. Stir together mac and cheese and bacon in medium bowl; set aside.
• Unroll pizza dough; press into a 15x9 rectangle. Cut into 24 square pieces. Divide mac and cheese mixture evenly and place in the center of each piece. Pull edges of each piece of dough up and around mac and cheese mixture to enclose completely; pinching seams to seal. Place seam-side down in pie plate.
• Brush tops of dough with butter. Sprinkle evenly with parsley flakes and garlic powder. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until top is golden brown. Serve bombs with ranch dressing.

COUNTRY BACON-BEEF MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook bacon, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until crisp, 5-6 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of drippings. Brown ground beef in drippings; remove from pan. Add onion to skillet; cook and stir until translucent, 2-3 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute more., Combine red pepper, carrot, seasonings and pasta in a 4-qt. slow cooker. Layer with ground beef, bacon and onion mixture (do not stir). Pour in broth., Cook, covered, on low for about 1 hour, until meat and vegetables are tender. Thirty minutes before serving, stir in sour cream and cheeses.

ROCKIN' BACON MAC N' CHEESE

Steps:

• Boil pasta in hot water 6-7 minutes until al dente. Drain.
• Cook bacon in the microwave or oven until just crisp. Crumble.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a skillet, add flour and whisk until smooth.
• Combine milk and cream and heat in microwave or stove until warm, but not boiling. Add to butter/flour mixture to make a roux.
• While the roux is thickening, pulse cheese crackers in the food processor or crush w/ rolling pin.
• Add cheeses (reserve 1/2 cup) to the roux, turn temp to low and allow to melt slowly. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Add 1/2 bacon crumbles to the roux; pour over pasta and mix.
• Pour pasta/roux mixture into greased 9 x 13 pan.
• Top with remaining bacon, then cheese crackers, sprinkle with reserved 1/2 cup cheddar.
• Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes or until brown and crispy.