Friday, April 1, 2016

Macaroni and Cheese With Bacon

Did you know Thomas Jefferson invented Mac'n'Cheese. He brought a macaroni making machine from Europe and used Mount Vernon Cheddar. Several centuries Kraft commercialized the dish in that famous blue box.

Everything is better with bacon. This Mac'n'Cheese is simply amazing.

I used a cast Iron skillet.


Ingredients:

- One pound (4 cups) of sharp cheddar (other cheeses work too)
- One pound elbow macaroni or spirals
- 1/4 pound of bacon
- 3 cups milk
- 1/4 cup four
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 1 tsp Thyme
- 1 tsp nutmeg, fresh grated is you can
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- small onion
- large clove of garlic
- sour cream
- bread crumbs. 4oz
- fried onion rings (the kind you put on green beans)

Directions:

- cook bacon in cast iron pan, until crunchy. Reserve bacon.
- carmelize onion and garlic in bacon grease
- under low heat stir 1/4 cup of flour and butter into bacon grease, until it starts to brown and thicken.
- gradually add 3 cups of milk and cheese. Add thyme, nutmeg and cayenne. Stir until rich and smooth.
- boil 8 quarts of water for the macaroni. When boiling add pasta. Follow directions for how long. It varies a little base on the size of the pasta. Drain well.
- Add macaroni to the cheese mixture and coat throughly. Put into the skillet and sprinkle bacon, bread crumbs and fried onions on top.
- Put skillet into the oven for 30 minutes at 425. You are not really cooking anything, you just want to brown the topping.
-Remove from oven and let stand 10-15 minutes.

The sour cream is optional. But adds a nice touch to the finished.

Serve warm, enjoy.


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