So...my holidays went something like this...eat with reckless abandon for two weeks and forget the rest. Especially really fatty food and foods full of sugar and chocolate. (Wait...I think that "forget the rest" slogan is actually part of the grueling P90X program...oh well.) When I offered my son a chunk of fudge and then said..."here, want another?" He asked..."Who are you and what have you done with my mother?" Of course, this was the day after making Pioneer Women's Fancy Macaroni and cheese, which is basically a Carbonara pasta dish cooked like mac and cheese. Clever, and very tasty!! Seriously...try this one, as a side dish, or main dish. We had it as a side dish with some very tasty turkey, cranberry, cream cheese, avocado and provolone panini's and a mixed green salad with pear, toasted walnuts, pomegranate and balsamic vinaigrette. It was a delicious meal, and ridiculously satisfying! Here's the mac and cheese recipe, courtesy of the pioneer woman. If you haven't checked out her blog...I highly recommend it!
http://thepioneerwoman.com/
Fancy Macaroni
As the pioneer woman says... "Dish it up and dig in! It’ll make you smile, moan, groan, cry, gasp, faint, and sayahhhh…all at the same time."
Ingredients
- 4 cups Macaroni
- 8 Tablespoons Butter
- 2 whole Medium Onions, Cut In Half And Sliced Thin
- 10 slices Regular Bacon
- 1 Tablespoon Bacon Grease (reserved From Bacon Slices)
- ¼ cups All-purpose Flour
- 2 cups Whole Or 2% Milk
- ½ cups Half & Half
- 2 whole Egg Yolks, Beaten
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- ½ cups Grated Gruyere Cheese
- ½ cups Grated Fontina Cheese
- ½ cups Grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
- 4 ounces, weight Chevre (soft Goat Cheese)
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook macaroni for half the time of the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
Fry bacon until slightly, but not overly, crispy. Drain on a paper towel. Reserve grease.
Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a skillet and saute onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown and soft. Set aside.
In a pot, melt 4 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon of bacon grease. Sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat for 1 minute. Pour in milk and half & half, then cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until thick. Reduce heat to low. Add salt & pepper to taste. (Do not undersalt!)
Beat egg yolks and drizzle 1/4 cup hot mixture into the yolks, stirring constantly. Stir to combine. Pour egg mixture into sauce and cook for another minute.
Add cheeses and stir until melted. Add onions and bacon and stir. Taste for seasonings and add more salt if needed. Add cooked macaroni and stir to coat.
Pour into a baking dish and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until sizzling and hot. Serve with red meat or a green salad.
I actually followed the recipe completely, except I didn't have macaroni, I used a different kind of noodle. Use your noodle and enjoy this delicious recipe in about 3 weeks, when the resolutions fly out the window..or hey..Valentine's day. Isn't the way to a man's heart through his stomach? Try this one...it will be a winner! :)
