sinful mac 'n' cheese

Cheese, cheese, cheese. Crispy bacon. Crunchy panko bread crumbs. Loads of cheese. This is so ridiculously rich. If you have high blood pressure, or need a physician's permission, please, I implore you, do not read on. Or at least do so at your own risk. Perhaps with a bit of common sense, like eating a green salad with this, and washing it down with buckets of green tea. Hey, it works for dim sum. Just don't say I didn't warn you. Here's where I'm going with this. Yep, that's right it's cheese topped mac 'n' cheese, that's broiled. And then topped with toasted panko breadcrumbs and chunks of bacon. It's the way mac 'n' cheese should be. Always. First you'll need to make a roux, with butter and flour, then adding Worcestershire sauce, paprika, mustard, and some turmeric for a bit more cheese colour...the healthy way. Then the whole thing gets thinned out with some whole milk, and stir in some fabulous cheddar cheese. This makes "two" servings. But really it would be two servings for two starving cast members of Survivor. I used gratin dishes that are quite large. It would be fun to use for a couples date night, with each couple sharing a gratin dish. Don't worry, if you don't finish it, leftovers are always fine too. We didn't even get close to finishing one of these each. Hardly a dent, but we were gleaming with every bite. The cheese sauce coats the pasta, albeit generously. It is very important to greatly under cook the macaroni. Under estimate it, trust me. Five minutes tops. Coax the pasta and sauce into the gratin dishes. Technically, the pasta could be served now, and it would be just fine. But JUST to take things to the next level, top each gratin dish with a bit more cheddar cheese. Don't worry it's just a bit... Then place it under the broiler for a couple minutes. It just gets things nice and gooey. I dare you to try it. It's hard to eat very much, but impossible to stop at just one bite. Sinful Mac 'N' Cheese Ingredients: 3 cups of elbow macaroni salt Sauce: 2 tbsp butter 2 tbsp flour 1/2 tsp paprika 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce 2 tsp dijon mustard 1/4 tsp white pepper 1/2 tsp salt pinch of ground turmeric 1 1/4 cup whole milk 1 cup old cheddar cheese Topping: 3 slices of bacon 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs 1 tbsp butter 1/2 cup old cheddar cheese, for the top 1. Starting with the topping, cook the bacon in a nonstick pan until crispy. Remove from pan. Clean out the excess fat, but leaving approximately a teaspoon. Add a tablespoon of butter, and melt. Stir in the panko breadcrumbs, and heat until lightly golden brown. Set aside. Chop the cooled bacon. 2. Cook the elbow pasta in boiling salted water for approximately 4-5 minutes. Drain. 3. To make the sauce, melt the butter in a sauce pan on medium-low heat. Stir in the flour, and stir out all the lumps. Add the paprika, Worcestershire sauce, dijon mustard, white pepper, salt, and turmeric. Whisk in the whole milk. Continue to whisk and cook until the sauce thickens, albeit only slightly, and not until it resembles a paste (approx. 1-2 minutes). Remember it will continue to cook and thicken afterward as well. Whisk in the cheese. Taste, and adjust the seasoning. Turn the heat off immediately. 4. Stir the pasta into the cheese sauce, and combine until thoroughly coated. Place the pasta and sauce into desired serving dishes. Sprinkle with additional grated cheddar cheese. Place into the oven on broil, and broil until the cheese begins to bubble. 5. Remove the gratin dishes from the broiler. Carefully sprinkle on the chopped bacon and prepared panko breadcrumbs. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
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