Let down your hair and make sort of healthy Bacon Mac & Cheese

This is one of my "well it's not really that bad...hmm but what about all those cheeses and bacon..." dishes that I love to make.  It's easy, it's heartwarming and if you don't eat this every week three times a week, it's ok to feed your stomach and your soul this dish now and again unless your on a special low cholesterol diet.  In those instances, you could perhaps use soy cheeses or low fat or no fat cheeses and turkey bacon.  Vegetarians only need to eliminate the bacon and their set. I have altered this recipe from heavy cream and whole milk to just 2 percent milk...and it's still scrumptious!  It's one of those filling dishes that only needs a good meaty salad to partner with.  Your welcome to put whole milk and the heavy cream back into the recipe, but if it's seriously good without it...why bother?

Sort of Healthy Bacon Mac and Cheese

1 lb elbow macaroni

6 slices of bacon

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 cups shredded provolone

1 1/2 cups shredded parmesan cheese

1/4 cup shredded smoked gouda

5 cups 2 percent milk

1 1/2 tsp dry mustard powder

Pinch of Cayenne Pepper

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley

1 1/2 cups plain bread crumbs

Cook elbow macaroni in boiling salted water just till the noodles begin to soften, drain

Heat the milk in a sauce pan over low heat till very hot,  but not boiling

In a large dutch oven, cook 6 slices of bacon until beginning to crisp

Remove to paper towels and allow to cool

Remove the hot pot to a wooden cutting board, carefully remove 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat and set aside in a small container

Add the butter to the pot and allow to melt into the remaining bacon fat

Place back onto the stove over low heat and pour the flour into the pot and whisk until it begins to bubble and add the hot milk, continuing to whisk till it begins to thicken

Add in the mustard powder, the cayenne, salt and pepper to taste, the cheddar, the provolone, the gouda and 1 cup of the parmesan

Whisk well till very smooth and taste for the need for more spices if desired

Mix the macaroni into the pot

  Chop the bacon on a cutting board - somewhere between fine and rough chopped

Add half of the bacon to the macaroni and cheese mixture and pour into a large casserole dish

In a small bowl, add the bread crumbs, the chopped parsley, the remaining parmesan, the rest of the chopped bacon and the 3 tbsp of bacon fat and mix well to moisten the bread crumbs

Sprinkle over the top of the macaroni and cheese

Back in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes

Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

yum!

robert