So...I may get some flack for this post. Don't get me wrong but I do ABSOLUTELY LOVE "All My Children", and it was heart-wrenching to see the show end it's run on ABC. I know some people may have totally stopped watching ABC weekdays at 1 PM and went to another channel. That being said, I do enjoy "The Chew". In the short time that show has been on, I feel like I've picked up so many little tricks! I plan on making DIY table runners for the holidays (of course when I do this, I will post about it!).
Last week I was planning on making a different version of Mac-n-Cheese with whatever I had laying around. I've done 3 versions: The Velveeta box recipe, a slow-cooker version, and the Kraft version! As luck would have it, "The Chew" did a version of Mac-n-Cheese on the show that day! Alas, my side dish was born! I did change/substitute parts of it because I used what I already had. Like I've said before, any and all of my changes/suggestions will be italicized.
Yields about 8-10 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 lb of elbow macaroni (I used cavatappi)
- 3 Tbsp flour
- 1 cup carmelized onions
- 1 cup white cheddar, grated*
- 2 cups breadcrumbs
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley to garnish (less if using dried parsley)
- 6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled (I used to sliced of deli ham, fried up and chopped)
- 1 1/2 cups milk (skim, low-fat, or whole, according to your preferences)
- 1 cup pepper jack cheese, grated*
- 4 oz cream cheese (half of stick)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- salt and pepper, to taste
*You may use whatever cheese you have readily available. I used 1 cup of a Mexican blend, and then 1/2 cup of Swiss and 1/2 cup of Cheddar. It's based on whatever your personal preferences are. There is NO WRONG WAY!
Directions:
- Bring large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain. (I hear this over and over again, on this show included. Whatever your package directions say, cook one minute less, if you plan on still cooking the pasta in the sauce.)
- In a saucepan, cook bacon until crispy. Remove bacon, reserve drippings in saucepan. Add and melt 2 Tbsp butter in same saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon until smooth. Whisk in the milk, and stir until thick, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cheese until smooth. Stir in carmelized onions, bacon and pasta.
- In a skillet over medium heat, combine all ingredients for breadcrumbs. Allow to toast.
- Serve into bowls. Top with breadcrumbs and crumbled bacon. Sprinkle with parsley.
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