Leftover Turkey Bacon And Brussels Sprouts Macaroni Cheese Christmas Macaroni Food

LEFTOVER TURKEY, BACON AND BRUSSELS SPROUTS MACARONI CHEESE (CHRISTMAS MACARONI!)

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 200C / 390F.
• Cook the macaroni in salted boiling water for about eight minutes. If you're cooking your brussels from scratch, add them into the water after four minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a medium to large saucepan and cook the bacon until starting to crisp (8 to 10 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon, leaving behind the butter and juices.
• Add the flour to the pan and cook, stirring, for a minute or so. Take off the heat and very slowly add the milk. Heat and stir until simmering.
• When the sauce is smooth and thickened somewhat, add about two thirds of the cheese, followed by the macaroni, turkey, brussels, bacon, and stuffing (if using). Stir in well, and season.
• Tip into a medium-sized baking dish, and scatter with the rest of the cheese. Bake for about 20 minutes until bubbling and golden.

BACON AND BRUSSELS SPROUT MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• With a sharp paring knife, core the Brussels sprouts and separate the leaves; place in a large bowl.
• Heat a large pot of water to boil and salt the water. Parboil the leaves to tender crisp, 2 minutes. Remove with a spider, drain and cool. Dry the leaves on a kitchen towel. Add more water to fill the pot back up for the pasta, return to a boil.
• Heat a saucepot over medium heat; add the EVOO and brown the bacon. Remove and drain. Pour off most of the drippings, then add the butter and melt. Add the garlic and onions, stir 5 minutes. Add a little salt and pepper, then stir in the flour for 1 minute. Whisk in the wine to deglaze the saucepot. Whisk in the stock and then the milk. Season with a little bit of nutmeg. Thicken the sauce to coat the back of a spoon. Reduce the heat to low.
• Boil the pasta to just shy of al dente, 5 to 6 minutes, drain.
• Stir two-thirds each of the Cheddar, gruyere and Parmigiano-Reggiano into the sauce in a figure-eight motion. Drain the pasta, then toss with the Brussels sprouts, bacon and sauce, and pour into a baking dish. Top with the remaining cheese. Cool and store for a make-ahead meal, or bake to serve. Place into the oven and bake until heated through and bubbly and brown on top.

CHEESY BRUSSELS SPROUTS AND TURKEY BACON PASTA

Steps:

• Season the bacon liberally with black pepper. I love Turkey Bacon but it needs the extra kick of pepper.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon, and cook until crisp (about 6-8 minutes). Watch the bacon and turn frequently. I find that Turkey bacon burns much easier than regular as it has less fat.
• Once the bacon is finished cooking, remove bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Add enough olive oil to the skillet to total about 2 Tablespoons. Add garlic, shallots, and sprouts. Season with salt and pepper.
• Cook for about 3 minutes, or until the sprouts begin to brown. Add the stock. Season again with salt and pepper. Cook about 10-12 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
• In the meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt, and cook the pasta according to the manufacturer's directions. Be careful not to over cook.
• Drain but reserve about 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Return pasta to the pot. Stir in brussels sprouts mixture, cooking liquid, cheese, sage, and bacon. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Stir until well combined.
• Serve along side your favorite main dish or as a main dish on its own.