So why the heck did I decide to make this dish? Sunday night I was watching TV and trying to come up with stuff to make my picky family for our Labor Day bbq. Most of the time they tell me things I make are "weird" or "too different" for them to like. Sometimes they like them, but pretend not to until I leave the room, and then pounce on them. They love southern homecooked type of food. The same type of food my grandmother and great grandmother made when we were all growing up. I am not fond of down home cooking, but I decided to make something special for them this time.
I'm not really sure what I saw or heard that made me think bacon ranch mac n cheese, but I know I couldn't have come up with it on my own. My mind doesn't work right when it comes to making fatty foods. I googled and was certain I would find a Paula Deen recipe for a crazy mac n cheese like this, but I was wrong. I found one from Taste of Home (magazine, I think?), but it called for a ranch dressing mix or something and I'd never buy that, so I decided to make up my own recipe. Surely I could make something tasty.
I must warn you for the 100th time in this post that this dish is full of fat. You can cut down the fat by using 2% cheese, skim milk, and light sour cream. I wouldn't go for fat free cheese because it melts weird, and fat free sour cream has a strange flavor to me.
Also, I apologize for the weird recipe on this one. I made this without actually measuring anything or writing down what I did. The measurements are approximate. The key to making the white sauce is adding a bit of milk at a time until it's a consistency you like.
Sorry for the dark pic. I took it with my phone before adding the breadcrumbs and baking. I was in such a rush getting all the food out for the BBQ I forgot to take another pic after it was baked.
Bacon Ranch Mac N Cheese
1 box of pasta (whatever you have on hand)5 slices of bacon, julienne
1 medium red onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, finely diced
AP flour (amount varies, I will explain in instructions)
Milk (amount varies)
1lb sharp cheddar (or whatever cheese you prefer), shredded
tt S&P
1/2c parsley, finely chopped
1c breadcrumbs
1/4c mozzarella, shredded
Cook the pasta as the box suggests. When it's done drain it and set it aside.
1. In a big saucepan, cook the bacon to render the fat. Once the bacon is almost cooked, added in the onion and cook together.
2. Once the onion is cooked, stir in the crushed garlic.
3. Next, you need to add just enough flour to soak up all the bacon fat in the pan. This is why I said the amount of flour varies depending on how much fat is on your bacon. You can leave the onion and bacon in the pan, but make sure you stir it. It's ok if it's sticking at this point, but don't just let it sit. The fat and flour come together to make a roux. This will thicken your sauce.
4. Now start adding in milk a bit at a time. I start with enough to cover what's in the bottom of the pan. Stir it to remove lumps and it will start to thick. Continue adding in milk until it's the consistency you desire for your sauce. Make sure to stir often and get around the edges so it doesn't burn.
5. Once it's at the consistency you desire, add in the cheese and stir as it's melting until it's all incorporated.
6. Mix in the parsley, and add salt & pepper to taste.
7. Mix the cheese sauce in with the cooked pasta and top with breadcrumbs and mozzarella.
8. Bake at 350F for about 20 minutes until the cheese on top is melted and the breadcrumbs are brown.
This dish can be made the night before. Just do everything up until the step where you put the breadcrumbs on. Let cool and put in the fridge. Remove from the fridge about an hour before you want to cook it, top with breadcrumbs and cheese, and bake at 350F for 30-40 minutes or until it's warm in the center.
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