If decadence is not your thing…look away quickly. All I can say is, this is comfort food. Food that will take away all your worries, except that pesky waistline issue.
If I am going to make homemade Mac n’ Cheese, it just has to be over the top, why bother otherwise.
Using four kinds of cheese gives added complexity along with the Applewood Smoked Bacon and the panko crumbs on top give that bit of crunch for a nice textural experience.
Crunchy top…creamy inside….it’s heaven.
And, if you happen to have a bottle of our wine hanging around, THIS is the rich, buttery, cheesy pairing I have been shouting to the mountaintops about for months. This dish shared with a cool climate wine like ours…gives this sublime mouthfeel when the acidity of the wine and fat from the cheese meet each other in the mouth. It’s heaven, just heaven. Of course you’ll have to try it for yourself.
Preheat oven to 350o F. Spray a 3-quart baking dish that can also withstand the broiler with cooking spray. Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Cook rotini pasta according to package directions and drain.
Cook bacon until crisp and transfer to a dish with paper towels to absorb the fat. Pour of bacon fat drippings, reserving 2 Tablespoons in the pan. Add 1 Tablespoon butter.
Whisk flour into butter and bacon fat until smooth and cook for one minute to remove flour taste. Whisk in milk. Stir in onion flakes, garlic power, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, simmering about 2 minutes. Toss together cheddar, Monterey Jack and mozzarella cheese. Remove sauce from heat and whisk in the American cheese and about 1-1/2 cups of the cheeses. Toss the bacon with the remaining shredded cheese.
Combine cooked pasta with the cheese sauce. Pour half of it into the baking dish. Sprinkle with a heavy-hand of the bacon-cheese mixture. Repeat with one more layer. Melt 3 Tablespoons butter and combine with 3 Tablespoons panko breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over the top layer.
Bake for 20 minutes and then broil for 3-5 minutes to get the top nice and brown.
Delish!
Quadruple Cheese Macaroni with Smokey Bacon
1 pound rotini pasta
1 pound Applewood smoked bacon
4 Tablespoons butter, divided
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon onion flakes
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
8 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese
4 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
4 ounces shredded mozzarella
8 slices American cheese slices
3 Tablespoon panko breadcrumbs
Preheat oven to 350o F. Spray a 3-quart baking dish that can also withstand the broiler with cooking spray. Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Cook rotini pasta according to package directions and drain.
Cook bacon until crisp and transfer to a dish with paper towels to absorb the fat. Pour of bacon fat drippings, reserving 2 Tablespoons in the pan. Add 1 Tablespoon butter.
Whisk flour into butter and bacon fat until smooth and cook for one minute to remove flour taste. Whisk in milk. Stir in onion flakes, garlic power, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, simmering about 2 minutes. Toss together cheddar, Monterey Jack and mozzarella cheese. Remove sauce from heat and whisk in the American cheese and about 1-1/2 cups of the cheeses. Toss the bacon with the remaining shredded cheese.
Combine cooked pasta with the cheese sauce. Pour half of it into the baking dish. Sprinkle with a heavy-hand of the bacon-cheese mixture. Repeat with one more layer. Melt 3 Tablespoons butter and combine with 3 Tablespoons panko breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over the top layer.
Bake for 20 minutes and then broil for 3-5 minutes to get the top nice and brown and crunchy.
Two Years Ago: Bourbon Walnut Sweet Potato Mash
