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Friday, October 22, 2010

Four Cheese and Bacon "Macaroni"


People sometimes ask me if my kids eat all of the ______* foods that I make in my kitchen. *insert choice of adjective here...some examples: strange, different, gourmet, unique, fancy  The short answer is NO.  Of course not...they're kids.  But I can honestly say that they will at least try everything.  They have pretty adventurous palates.  I must say, though...that to them...it's not really strange, different, gourmet, fancy, or unique.  It's actually pretty normal.  With a mom who spends most of her time in the kitchen and a dad whose eaten pretty much anything you can think of and that's just the way he was raised- to not waste any part of an animal...or any animal for that matter...can you say skunk!?, it's just what they "know".  Food made with loving hands...mostly from scratch.  Another thing people wonder is if my kids don't just want macaroni and cheese or poptarts or pizza rolls...of the boxed/bagged variety?  Pssshh.  Of course!  Do I give it to them?  Yes, I do.  Sometimes I choose convenience.  I'll be honest though, I was never one of those kids that asked for mac 'n cheese from a box.  It didn't really taste that good to me.  My sister on the other hand...  Although I could suffer Velveeta shells and cheese...those were pretty creamy and delicious...as I remember.  So, yes...I buy boxed mac and cheese for convenience...but 99% of the time, it's the "thick and creamy" variety.  Not that I eat it...just that I figure they should have "the best" of the boxed {snicker}.  I do, on the other hand....ADORE homemade mac and cheese....especially when it uses four types of cheese and glorious bacon.


Four Cheese and Bacon "Macaroni"
yield: ~12 svgs.

1 lb. cavatappi
6 slices bacon, diced
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
3 Tbs. ap flour
2 c. milk
½ tsp. onion flakes
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
½ lb. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 c. (4 oz.) colby-jack cheese, shredded
1 c. (4 oz.) mozzarella cheese, shredded
8 slices (6 oz.) American cheese

Preheat oven to 350° F.  Grease/spray a 3-qt. broiler-safe baking dish.  Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.  Cook cavatappi 8 minutes in boiling water, then drain.  Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp.  Transfer to paper towel lined plate to drain.  Pour all but 2 Tbs. of drippings from pan and add butter.

Whisk in flour until smooth.  Whisk in milk in a thin stream.  Stir in onion, salt, & pepper.  Bring to boil over medium-high, then reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes.  In large bowl, toss together first 3 cheeses.  

Remove milk mixture from heat, whisk in American cheese and 1½ c. of 3-cheese mixture.  Toss bacon pieces w/ remaining cheese.

Combine cooked pasta and cheese sauce. Pour half in to prepared dish.  Sprinkle w/ a generous cup of bacon-cheese mixture. Repeat.

Bake in preheated oven for ~20 minutes.  Increase oven temperature to broil and broil 3 minutes, until top is lightly browned.
Now THIS is my kind of mac 'n cheese!  Creamy cheesy goodness to appease the inner cheeseslut...with a golden, crispy, salty, bacony crust to please the...well...to please every bit of my being.  Did somebody say mac and cheese came in a box?  Hmmm...I didn't think so....


*This post is linked to:
~Presto Pasta Nights is hosted by Tigerfish of Teczcape this week
PrestoPastaNights familyfoodfridays fatcampfridays MagazineMondays


Would you like to comment?

  1. Alright so its not even 8 a.m. where I'm at but I'm drooling over this wishing I had a bowl right now, I mean it does have bacon in it so it could pass for breakfast! Haha! Have a great weekend!

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  2. Wow, I have no words. I am a big fan of mac & cheese and adding the bacon is just icing on the cake! Man, I want some of this now!

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  3. Bacon makes everything delicious, even better if that is possible. Yummy doesn't even come close!

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  4. Oh yum, that just looks SO good! Those cheeses just sound so wonderful together and then you went and added bacon as well!! Delicious!

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  5. hi! I'm visiting from Fat Camp Friday and yum, what a great recipe! I'm hungry now. thanks for posting :-) have a great weekend.

    kathiesculinarykreations.blogspot.com

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  6. My stomach rumbled as soon as I opened this post and it's only 9:00 am! This looks amazing.

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  7. Okay girlie girl.....I'm off to the store to get the fromage I need to do this do. The grands and SM will love it. Besides what a winner this one is....bacon....it's almost sinful. Yeah, I'm in on this one. The Olde Bagg
    you know those idiot words we have to enter at the bottom of this thing in order for you to get our message? Well I play vert word with others by using the word in a sentence. And this one is just perfect for you. baste. Do you believe it? Craziness.

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  8. My stomach is growling and I'm rethinking my lunch choices now :) And my dinner ideas. I wonder if I have enough cheese to make this instead of fish? If not, a shopping trip may be in order! Bring on the bacon!

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  9. You are a girl after this girl's heart! I am a mac and cheese fiend and I love the idea of adding bacon and the variety of cheeses. We keep some Annie's on hand for emergency meals, but when we make mac, we try to go from scratch too. I will have to give your version a try...soon! Thanks for linking up to Friday Potluck!

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  10. OH, YUM YUM YUM!!! I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who gives in to convenience, although I can honestly say my kids (and yes, I mean my five year old as well as my 36 year old) are not adventurous at all and it is very difficult to cook for them, AND have an active food-blog life.
    THIS, though. THIS looks MAH-velous.... I can't imagine even the pickiest eater passing on THIS.

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  11. Wow, does that ever look good! I wish I had thought to add bacon to mine last week, what a great idea. And FOUR cheeses!? I want some now!!

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  12. Oh my gosh, Heather, that is calling my name! Pasta, cheese, and bacon? Anytime, anyday. Looks delicious!

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  13. well they say bacon makes it better.. but omg, i can feel my arteries clogging...all that cheese gf!.

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  14. My mom hates cooking but she never ever let the blue box of mac and cheese enter our house and to this day, I do NOT like it.

    Homemade mac and cheese all the way! And everything tastes better with bacon. That much I know for sure.

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  15. ah, I grew up on the blue box and for years would just say no thanks to the homemade stuff - can you believe it????? Me neither. Now, I would eat homemade - and yours is so mouth drooling delicious - everyday if I could!

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  16. my mother never allowed the boxed mac n cheese in our house..but when i would babysit...it is always what the mothers would leave for me to make. i sorta like it...but i never would choose it over the real thing...and i really never would choose it over your delicious version. wowwee...looks amazing!

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  17. I'm with you on the boxed mac 'n cheese. I like having control over the ingredients in my food.
    This looks awesome. I like how you use shredded cheese rather than the Velveeta that so many homemade versions use.

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  18. Ooooh, aaaah! I saw this recipe and wondered if it could stand up to Martha's. Wow! it sure looks like it does. I am definitely a cheeseslut and then to add bacon. You are my hero.

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  19. I can't believe how much bacon I've been seeing today! Funny too, I save my bacon grease and use just a touch on my morning eggs and I am just about out! Clearly I need to buy bacon! Gosh this looks good!

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  20. I know what you mean. If I made only the dishes my son wants I would have died of boredom. Kids want a routine everywhere including food. But I believe that growing in a home where we taste different things from different countries will follow him through adolescence and adulthood and perhaps then will be able to appreciate good quality food. This mac and cheese is definitely of great quality.

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  21. Hayırlı akƟamlar, çok leziz ve iƟtah açıcı olmuƟ. Ellerinize, emeğinize sağlık.

    Saygılar.

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  22. I am so going to make something like this tonight (I wouldn't use American Cheese - my cheese snob husband despises it)! I've been wanting to try bacon in Mac & Cheese. Looks delicious.

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  23. Wow - this is really making me hungry. I am a huge mac & cheese person - homemade, of course - and this looks like a wonderful recipe to try. Thanks so much for sharing. :)

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  24. Mac n cheese is one of my favorite of all dishes. I love this comfort food and there is nothing like making it the old fashioned way. I just can't eat that box stuff. I'll take yours any day. Have a great weekend.

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  25. girli, girli, girli...this looks like an oo-e, goo-e delicious mac and cheese. And with that bacon...omg. I lived on Kraft boxed mac and cheese in college and to this day will buy a box about every two years and eat it in one sitting...usually at breakfast when I've had too much Boone's Farm Wine the night before HA :-)

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  26. Oh man, that brings back memories Leeanne...Strawberry Hill Boone's Farm...only it was grilled cheese sammiches for me afterwards....to soak it up ;) Those were the days, aye?

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  27. OMG - that is seriously good looking mac 'n' cheese - four cheese takes this over the top :-)
    Sue

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  28. looks fab your doing a great job with your kids have a fun weekend

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  29. I've made the homemade variety for my kids. They just look at me when I do. This looks like a whole lotta baconey cheesy deliciousness!

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  30. Wow, this recipe look amazing and indulgent! I'm filing it away in my "when I'm feeling extravagant" folder.

    I've started a new food blogging group that celebrates the printed cookbook. I'd love it if you joined us. www.cookbookloversunite.blogspot.com.

    Thank you for the great post. I'm hoping my son will be as adventurous about eating as your children when he starts eating more solids. :)

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  31. wow, looks so delicious and amazing! happy weekend! :)

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  32. One of my guilty pleasures (cuz you know there are many) is my love of that little blue box. And then you take a couple of cooked (seared on a skillet) hot dogs and slice em up and toss those babies in. But ya...that bacon....I could sooo go for some of that with all that yummy cheese.

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  33. Now..now I have to include bacon in my next Mac & Cheese dish....how could I not include it now?

    (FCF)

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  34. The bread, now this- ARGH! I have to get dressed and hit the market, I am so making something like this for our meal tomorrow!

    My kids ate most everything, but my son will eat anything now, he loves to explore, more than me at times!

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  35. Now THAT'S mac 'n cheese. Times 2. Or 3. Somewhere in high school my kids realized the glory of not being brought up on processed foods!

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  36. Who wouldn't love this mac and cheese with all of the goodies? Wow.

    Your story about your kids is interesting. I often wonder (because I don't have children) how people encourage their kids to have an adventuresome palate. Fun post.
    Sam

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  37. If that's not Hoosier-style cooking, I don't know what is. :)

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  38. Of course you seem to know what we are all craving! I have been craving mac & cheese. This looks truly delicious, a perfect comfort food.

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  39. Yum, yum, and yum! My husband absolutely loves mac and cheese...and I wouldn't kick it out of the kitchen either.

    It's great that your kids have adventuresome palates. My daughter is now sixteen and has always at least tried whatever was put in front of her. Now, while she's a bit of a food snob as a result, she loves everything from sushi to beet and ricotta ravioli. Keep up the good work with your kids :)

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  40. Ah...good ol' mac'n'cheese. THe ultimate comfort food for the soul. :) You took it up a notch with the four cheeses. LOVE IT!!!!!!!

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  41. Oh my god heather, I am so coming over for dinner! This is one of my favorite things in the whole world comfort food wise!:) Hugs! Alex

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  42. I adore homemade macaroni and cheese. Your pictures has to be the most tempting food photograph I've seen all day. But to be honest, there are times when I actually crave the boxed variety. Can you believe that silliness? But something about Kraft makes me feel like I'm a little girl again!

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  43. I was watching one of those shows where chefs talk about food that they love, and this particular chef was going on and on about a fabulously creamy cheesy dish, and then someone hands him and ingredient list, and the magical cheese involved was american. It was funny to see him have to reel in his instinct to mock american cheese after going on about how delicious it was. Funny.

    Cheers to good food, even when it comes in a box and brings back wonderful memories of comfort!

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  44. A true American classic- baked macaroni and cheese. The addition of bacon just sends it over the top.

    I ate the box mac n' cheese growing up and in college. I can't stomach it too much now.

    I have always felt that children that have an expanded palate will be able to discover and experience the world in a way, that others cannot. They will connect to different cultures through food which is the window to understanding.

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  45. Looks wonderful. Love the bacon. ;)

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  46. Oh my god. I thought I was decadent last night making it with 2 kinds of cheese! This is so amazing.

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  47. Box stuff can be good, and so convenient, great for lazy days. and I can't tell you how much I'm dying to make mac n cheese! My hubs hates really cheesy stuff, so I'm brainwashing him everyday now =P

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  48. This is looking so good to me right now, I could eat it for dessert- yum!

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  49. Mmm, you can never have too much cheese! Yummy mac and cheese - totally over the top cheesy!

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  50. This is exactly what I was craving this weekend! The version I attempted to make was not half as delicious looking as yours...I'm making it this week for sure!

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  51. My bacon loving kids would die for this...:) Looks great!

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  52. That is one insanely delicious looking dish! Thanks for sharing with Presto Pasta Nights. I just bought a chunk of pancetta and I think I'm going to give it an Italian twist!

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  53. This is a little bit of cheesy heaven and you won my heart with the bacon--YUM! ;-)

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  54. This looks DELISH! Yummers!
    I will have to try this soon! :) Thanks for posting :)

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  55. Cavatapi, I learn some new pasta almost every day it seems. This is mac'n cheese to die for. And, since I'm making it tonight, just in the nick of time.

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  56. The perfect dish for a man. Bacon for the adult in you and mac n' cheese for the kid in you.

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