Blue Cheese Bacon 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.

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.

BACON-BLUE CHEESE SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spread each of 4 bread slices with 2 tablespoons onion jam. Top each with a quarter of the cheese, 1 1/2 slices bacon, and 1 slice bread.
• Melt 1 to 2 tablespoons butter on a griddle or in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add sandwiches in batches, and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 6 minutes total, flipping once and adding more butter as needed. Transfer to a baking sheet, and bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Cut in halves or quarters, and serve hot.

CREAMY MACARONI AND CHEESE W/ BLEU CHEESE, BACON AND JALAPENOS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain.
• Melt butter in 3-quart saucepan until sizzling; stir in flour, salt and pepper. Add milk; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens (5 to 7 minutes).
• Reduce heat to low; stir in cheese. Cook until cheese is melted (3 to 5 minutes). Add cooked macaroni; mix well.
• Spoon into ungreased 2-quart casserole. crumble bacon and ble cheese as a topping
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through.