joyfullydwell

Who didn’t love macaroni and cheese growing up? The ooey gooey, warm, cheesy goodness that many of us looked forward to as an after school snack. I still grab a bowl when I make it for my kiddos. Here’s a more decadent, sophisticated, if you must, version on this childhood classic. I call it Heavenly Mac N Cheese.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups milk
• 5 strips of bacon
• 1/2 cup fried onions
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1 cup shredded smoked gouda cheese
• 2 boxes uncooked mac n cheese (I prefer Annie’s organic)
• 1 Stick of unsalted butter for cooking and for coating baking dish

Directions:

Pour 1 cup of milk into a pot and boil. While you wait for the milk to boil, rinse bacon in water (helps from shrinking) then lay the strips on a cookie sheet and put in oven. Crank up oven to 400 (no need to preheat). Add shells to milk and cook until al dente. Turn heat to low simmer. Add 1 tbs unsalted butter and stir in until melted. Add 1/2 cup shredded gouda, 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1 cup milk then transfer all to an oven safe casserole dish. By now bacon should be crisping. Remove bacon from oven and let cool. Toss into Mac n cheese a handful of fried onions and once bacon is cooled to touch chop up and throw in half mix it together with the mac n cheese. Leave half to place on top. Sprinkle the rest of the gouda cheese and pour bacon grease on top put in oven and cook an additional 15 min. Mmmmmm