Monday, November 12, 2012

Broccoli and Bacon Mac and Cheese

I've been wanting to make my own mac and cheese for a while.  Once, I tried to make mac and cheese before running off to a work function and just combined shredded cheese with my warm pasta.  That resulted in clumps of cheese, which is not as pleasant to eat as one might think.  I decided to use a real recipe to make my mac and cheese.

When making the sauce, you need to play with it a little bit.  If the sauce starts to get hard to stir, add a little pasta water.  Also, be sure to use freshly shredded cheese.  The pre-shredded cheese you buy at the store is coated and doesn't melt as well as freshly shredded cheese.

I like the combination of flavors in this dish.  To be honest, cheese on top of anything is fine in my book.  I'll definitely be using this sauce as a base to experiment with different cheese and mix in combinations.  Any suggestions?


Broccoli and Bacon Mac and Cheese
Serves 2
Prep time: 5 min
 Cook time: 15 min

Ingredients
-     1 c penne pasta
-     2 slices of bacon, diced
-     ½ c broccoli, diced
-     ¼ c plain yogurt or light sour cream
-     ½ c shredded cheddar cheese
-     Dash of salt and pepper

Directions
In a medium pot, boil the water for the pasta and cook according to directions on the back of the box.  Reserve about ½ c of pasta water before draining.

While the pasta is cooking, fry the bacon in a skillet over medium heat and remove once the pieces are crispy.  Allow to drain on a plate lined with a paper towel.

In a small pot, boil the water for the broccoli and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until tender.  Drain and set aside.

Drain the pasta and pour the pasta into a large bowl.  Add ¼ c of pasta water, the sour cream or yogurt, and about half of the shredded cheese.  Stir continuously until the cheese has melted.  Add the rest of the cheese a handful at a time and stir continuously to prevent clumping.  If the cheese sauce is too thick, add more of the reserved pasta water. 

Stir in the broccoli and bacon and season with salt and pepper.  Serve immediately.

Note: This recipe is best eaten the day it’s served.




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