Ultimate Mac ‘N Cheese with Bacon

Okay, now here’s a recipe for all my new male followers. Come on, fess up, we all know you love Macaroni and Cheese. Didn’t quite hit the spot? How about Mac ‘N Cheese with Bacon? Mouth still not watering? Well, how about Mac ‘N Cheese with Bacon and loads of Garlic and Onion!! YUMMY!!

We had a few nights of frost warnings earlier this week and I thought Macaroni and Cheese was the perfect side dish for a chilly spring night! I found an excellent recipe from my man Tyler. As soon as I read the recipe I knew it was going to be wonderful and a very adult Mac ‘N Cheese.

I made this recipe exactly as written except I substituted 5 green onions, including the tops, cut into fine coins for the chopped yellow onion. And I used sharp yellow cheddar in place of the white cheddar and added about 6 large fresh basil leaves to the topping. Yes, this Mac ‘N Cheese has a topping and that is what made it so good and of course the 4 cloves of garlic!

This is a phenomenal dish and gourmet comfort food at it’s best! I was going to cut the recipe in half but just went ahead and made it as written. And it was all gone the next day and there’s only two of us! Mr. Tastebud’s had three helpings at dinner. And the next day he had two snack helpings when he came home from work which left me a measly cup or so to warm up for my dinner that night.

Mac ‘N Cheese with Bacon
Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence

Kosher salt
1 pound elbow macaroni
4 cups milk
2 or 3 sprigs thyme
2 cloves garlic, smashed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 1/2 cups shredded sharp white Cheddar (I used Sharp Yellow Cheddar)
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Topping:
4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into thin strips
1 large onion, diced (I used 5 Green Onions including stems cut into coins)
2 garlic cloves, smashed
Leaves from 1/4 bunch fresh thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Option: 5 large Basil leaves, minced

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 springs 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 ‘N Cheese.

Please visit Tyler Florence Fridays and see what the rest of Tyler’s groupies are up too this week.

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Tagged as: Bacon, Cheddar Cheese, Cheese, Green Onion, Macaroni and Cheese