Fancy Mac N Cheese Food

FANCY-BUT-EASY MAC N' CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place the diced onion in a large pot of lightly-salted water; bring to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes; drain. Transfer the onion and pasta to a casserole dish; season with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Stir the butter and brown sugar into the pasta mixture until the butter melts. Add the Cheddar cheese soup, Havarti cheese, Parmesan cheese and 1/3 cup of Cheddar cheese; stir well. Sprinkle remaining Cheddar cheese over top of the dish.
• Bake in preheated oven about 45 minutes. Change oven setting to 'Broil' and cook until top is golden brown, about 4 minutes.

FANCY MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Drizzle the mushrooms with olive oil, and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven until deep golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside. Try not to eat them before the macaroni's done. Turn down the heat to 350 degrees F.
• Next, fry the thick slices of bacon until chewy, but not yet crisp. Chop up the bacon into bite-size bits. Set aside. Try not to eat them before the macaroni's done.
• In a large skillet over medium-low heat, saute the onions in 1 tablespoon of the butter, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Set aside. Try not to... oh, never mind.
• Cook the macaroni until just undercooked. Set aside.
• To make the sauce, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour, whisking to combine. Let the roux cook for a minute or so, whisking constantly. Then pour in the milk, whisking constantly. Cook the white sauce until thick and bubbly, 3 to 5 minutes. Next, add the half-and-half, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
• Spoon some of the hot white sauce into the beaten eggs to temper them, stirring with a fork to incorporate the mixture without cooking the eggs. Pour the tempered eggs into the white sauce, stirring constantly as you add them. Add the fontina, gruyere, Parmesan and goat cheeses. Stir until the cheese all melts. Add the cooked macaroni and stir to coat. Splash in a little milk or hot water if needed for thinning.
• Butter a 9- by 13-inch baking pan. Lay on half the onions, half the macaroni, half the mushrooms, half the gorgonzola and half the bacon. Repeat the layers, ending with the bacon. Bake until bubbly and hot, 20 to 25 minutes.
• This is the stuff that dreams - and love handles - are made of.

FANCY MACARONI

Steps:

• 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 then 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 add 1 tablespoon of the reserved bacon grease for good measure!). 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.

PIONEER WOMAN'S FANCY MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Drizzle the mushrooms with the olive oil and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven until deep golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside. Turn down the oven to 350 degrees.
• Fry the thick slices of bacon until chewy, but not yet crisp. Chop up the bacon into bite-size bits. Set aside.
• In a large skillet over medium-low heat, saute the onions in 1 tablespoons butter, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Set aside.
• Cook the macaroni until just undercooked. Set aside.
• To make the sauce, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour, whisking to combine. Let the roux cook for a minute or so, whisking constantly. Then pout in the milk, whisking constantly. Cook the white sauce until thick and bubbly, 3-5 minutes. Next, add the half and half, 1 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Spoon some of the hot white sauce into the beaten eggs to temper them, stirring with a fork to incorporate the mixture without cooking the eggs. Pour the tempered eggs into the white sauce, stirring constantly as you add them. Add the fontina, gruyere, parmesan, and goat cheese. Stir until the cheese melts. Add the cooked macaroni and stir to coat. Splash in a little milk or hot water if needed for thinning.
• Butter a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Layer on half the onions, half the macaroni, half the musrooms, half the gorgonzola and half of the bacon. Repeat layers, ending with the bacon. Bake until bubbly and hot, 20 to 25 minutes.