Canadian Bacon Macaroni And Cheese Recipes

Steps:

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the macaroni and cook for 8 to 9 minutes, until al dente. Drain.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a small saucepan heat the milk with the thyme sprigs and 2 garlic cloves. Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, to keep lumps from forming. Strain the solids out of the milk and whisk it into the butter and flour mixture. Continue to whisk vigorously, and cook until the mixture is nice and smooth. Stir in the 4 cups of the cheese and continue to cook and stir to melt the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cooked macaroni and the parsley and fold that all in to coat the macaroni with the cheese mixture. Scrape into a 3-quart baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
• While that bakes, heat a saute pan. Add the bacon, render the fat and cook until crispy. Add onion, garlic and thyme leaves and cook for about 5 minutes to soften the onion. Season with salt and pepper.
• To serve, scatter the bacon mixture over the mac and cheese. Use a big spoon to scoop out servings, making sure you get some of the smoking bacon mixture on each spoonful.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cook macaroni as directed on package. Meanwhile, melt butter in large saucepan on low heat. Stir in flour; cook 2 min. or until bubbly. Gradually stir in milk; cook on medium heat until mixture comes to boil, stirring constantly. Simmer on low heat 3 to 5 min. or until thickened. Add 1 1/2 cups cheese; cook and stir 5 min. or until melted.
• Drain macaroni. Add to sauce with bacon; mix lightly. Spoon into 1 1/2 quart casserole; top with remaining cheese.
• Bake 20 min. or until heated through.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs, adding the broccoli during the last 3 minutes of cooking. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the Canadian bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and slightly crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon; reserve the drippings in the pan.
• Add the scallion whites, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper to the saucepan. Cook until slightly softened, 1 minute. Whisk in the flour and mustard; cook, whisking, until the flour is lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and reserved pasta water. Cook, whisking, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the cheeses; cook, whisking, until creamy, about 2 more minutes.
• Stir the pasta, broccoli and Canadian bacon into the cheese sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with the scallion greens.