Mac & Cheese (with bacon)...Ooh la la!

Sometimes, I  just want to cook a good meal on the weekend or have a family gathering so I can try a new recipe. My husband can certainly relate to this. For him, when Monday comes, he is already thinking about what to cook on the grill for the upcoming weekend (I LOVE summer months!). I think about the various dishes I may want to try. I break out the cook books at night and read them like a well written novel and devour all the new recipes (as I did this evening!).

Tonight, thanks to my friend Erin who uttered the words "Mac & Cheese" in the car, I came home and searched for my Food & Wine Annual Cook Book (2007). I have been thinking about Grant Achatz's recipe all night. I have never been one to really like "boxed foods" and my family does not typically buy them. So most of the time, mac & cheese is not something I eat because it takes time to make it the way I like it. I have made this dish a few times and it is officially my favorite mac & cheese recipe by far!


Did I mention it has has bacon in it?

OK, so this is definitely a "special occasion" dish for my family as we do try our best to follow a healthy no preservative, mostly organic diet Monday to Friday. But once in a while...you do have to TREAT YOURSELF. This is the perfect side dish for a special family/friend  gathering. Nothing says comfort food like mac & cheese!

(By the way...to my bacon loving friends...I always add a little extra!)

So here it is, Grant's Mac & Cheese (Click on read more for recipe):

ACTIVE 30 MIN
TOTAL 2 HRS
8 servings
     1 tablesppon of unsalted butter
     6 thick slices of bacon
     1 medium onion, minced
     2 bay leaves
     1 tablespoon sweet paprika
     1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
     1/2 cup all purpose flour
     6 cups of whole milk
     1 pound of elbow macaroni (I use whole wheat)
     1 pound extra sharp cheddar cheese, if shredded, it should equal five cups.
     Add salt to your liking

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking dish. In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the bacon and cook over moderate heat until crisp, about 7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a plate.
2. Add the onion and bay leaves to the saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the paprika and cayenne and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in the flour until blended. Gradually whisk in the milk until the sauce is smooth. Bring to a boil over high heat, whisking constantly, and cook until thickened. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce gently for 30 minutes, whisking frequently. Discard the bay leaves.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and boil until pliable but undercooked, about 4 minutes. Drain the macaroni and return it to the pot.
4. Stir 4 cups of the cheddar into the hot sauce, add the bacon and season with salt. Add the sauce to the macaroni and mix well. Spread the mac and cheese in the prepared baking dish and scatter the remaining 1 cup of cheddar on top. Bake for about 30 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Make ahead: The assembled mac and cheese can be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before baking.

Food & Wine Magazine takes all of their recipes each year and combine them into one book.

Do you have a favorite Mac & Cheese recipe? If so, please feel free to send it to me! 

Happy cooking...and eating! It's simply fabulous!