Blue Cheese And Bacon Mac Ncheese 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.

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.

GROWN UP MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in 1 layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is crisp. Remove the pan carefully from the oven - there will be hot grease in the pan! Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and crumble when it is cool enough to handle.
• Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.
• Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt the butter in a medium pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or 2 more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, blue cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and crumbled bacon and stir well. Pour into 2 individual size gratin dishes.
• Place the bread slices in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until you have coarse crumbs. Add the basil and pulse to combine. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top of the pasta. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

GRILLED MAC N CHEESE SANDWICH WITH BACON

Steps:

• 1. Make mac and cheese with milk and butter according to directions on the box. If using cold leftovers, heat a tad in microwave, then combine with the crumbled cooked bacon.
• 2. Heat a non-stick griddle or sauté pan on med-high heat.
• 3. Butter one side of one bread slice. Sprinkle shredded cheese onto the buttered side of the bread with the intention that most of the cheese will stick to the butter.
• 4. Lay the slice, cheese side down on the hot pan. Some cheese may fall away. It might be a tad messy. That's ok.
• 5. Load a pile of the mac & cheese mixture onto the top of the bread slice in the pan. Spread out evenly on the bread.
• 6. Top with a second slice of bread. Press down a little with a spatula on the top bread. Spread butter on the top of the top slice of bread, and sprinkle more shredded cheese on it, like you did the first slice.
• 7. Toast on med heat the first side of the sandwich until golden. Don't burn the cheese. Flip over the sandwich with a spatula onto the second side. Again some of your cheese on the second side may fall a bit or be messy. This is ok. Brown the second side. Ready to serve.

MACARONI AND BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350* and butter 13x9 glass baking dish.
• Cook pasta (about 8 min) and drain.
• Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium to low heat, then add flour and cook 1 minute stirring constantly (do not allow to brown).
• Gradually whisk in cream and milk and simmer until mixture thickens slightly, whisking occasionally (about 3 minutes).
• Reduce heat to low and add grated cheddar cheese and only 1 cup blue cheese.
• Whisk about 2 minutes or when cheese starts to melt, then flavor with salt and pepper.
• Add cooked pasta to sauce, stirring to coat, and transfer mixture to 13x9 dish.
• Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup blue cheese and bake about 25 minutes or until sauce begins to bubble.
• Sprinkle with chives and serve- enjoy!