Mac and Cheese

This is for you, BT!

SMOKEY MAC

Ingredients:

1 pound of bacon
1 stick of butter, cold
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon of Chipotle Tabasco
4 cups of milk
1 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne
1 pound elbow mac (I use whole wheat)
3 cups coarsely grated extra sharp cheddar ( I use more)
1 1/3 cups freshly and coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup fresh sourdough breadcrumbs
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

PREP EVERYTHING FIRST BECAUSE THERE IS NO TIME ONCE YOU START TO DO ANYTHING BUT WHISK!

1.) Cook bacon until very crispy, not at all chewy. Chop in food processor and set aside. Do not rinse processor bowl.

2.) Chop sourdough in food processor after bacon to grab all of "bacon dust" and flavor. Set aside.

3.) Grate cheddar and set aside.

4.) Grate parm and add to bread crumbs.

5.) Preheat oven to 350

6.) Melt 6 tsp butter in a saucepan on low heat. Add flour and cook roux, whisking constantly for about 3 mins.

7.) Slowly add milk in a continuous stream, whisking the while time. Raise heat and bring to a boil, whisking THE WHOLE TIME.

8.) Once it boils, add mustard, Cayenne and salt and pepper. Whisk, whisk, whisk until it thickens, about 2 mins. Cover and remove from heat.

9.) In a large pot of salted water, cook mac until just under done. Drain and return to pot.

10.) Add roux to pot of macaroni and stir. Then add bacon and stir. Then add most of the cheddar and stir. Then add chipotle to taste. Try not to eat all of the mac and cheese yet, though it is yummy already!

11.) Rub the rest of your stick of butter in your baking dish. I use shallow ones so I can have more crispy top. After dish is lubed, cut butter into small cubes.

12.) Spoon mac into dish, top with rest of cheddar, then breadcrumb / parm mixture. Tuck in butter cubes. Add salt and pepper and back for about 30 mins, until brown and bubbling.


VARIATIONS:

Blue cheese

smoked Gouda and mushroom

jack cheese and tomato