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Big, Bad Bacon Mac 'n' Cheese

Source of Recipe

From "Southern Living Bourbon & Bacon" by Morgan Murphy


Recipe Introduction

"Three-cheese macaroni with plenty of bacon makes the ultimate side dish. Kick the mac from a box and try all three variations."

List of Ingredients

◦ One 16-ounce package elbow macaroni
◦ � cup butter
◦ � cup all-purpose flour
◦ � teaspoon granulated garlic
◦ � teaspoon table salt
◦ � teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
◦ � teaspoon ground red pepper
◦ 2 cups half-and-half
◦ 2 cups milk
◦ 8 ounces Gruy�re cheese, shredded
◦ 4 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, shredded
◦ 10 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
◦ 12 cooked hickory-smoked bacon slices


Recipe

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and keep warm.

Preheat oven to 350� F. Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Gradually whisk in flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, 2 minutes. Stir in granulated garlic and next three ingredients. Gradually whisk in half-and-half and milk. Cook, whisking constantly, 8 to 10 minutes or until thickened.

Add Gruy�re cheese, smoked Gouda cheese, and half of sharp Cheddar cheese, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat.

Crumble 8 bacon slices. Stir crumbled bacon and pasta into cheese mixture. Pour into a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Crumble remaining 4 bacon slices.

Sprinkle crumbled bacon and remaining half of sharp Cheddar cheese over top of casserole. Bake, uncovered, at 350� F for 20 minutes or until bubbly.

Makes 10 servings





❧ Switch It Up:

� Blue Cheese:
Omit Gruy�re cheese, and substitute 8 ounces fontina cheese. Omit smoked Gouda cheese, and substitute 8 ounces cambozola cheese, rind removed, and cut into pieces. Omit Cheddar cheese and substitute 6 ounces blue cheese, crumbled and divided. Proceed as directed in recipe.

� Spanish-Style:
Stir 2 � teaspoons smoked paprika into flour mixture along with granulated garlic and next three ingredients. Omit Gruy�re cheese, and substitute 8 ounces smoked fontina cheese, shredded. Stir one (7.5-ounce) jar piquillo peppers, drained and chopped, into cheese sauce. Proceed as directed in recipe.

� Spicy Jalape�o:
Omit Gruy�re cheese and substitute 8 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded. Omit 10 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese and substitute 12 ounces pepper Jack cheese, shredded and divided. Stir ⅔ cup diced, drained, pickled jalape�o peppers into cheese sauce. Proceed as directed in recipe.