Fancy Mac & Cheese (Ree Drummond)

School term break is almost over in a few hours. Been spending the first half sick, my poor kids couldn't do much. Luckily I got better on Wednesday and from Thursday onwards we got the chance to enjoy a little more :)

To beat the blues from the blah feeling of going back to school, comfort food is all we need! This is a great one! All time favourite with the kids :)

Recipe is from HERE

What you need:

16 ounces, weight white button or cremini mushrooms, quartered (I used shitake)
olive oil, for drizzling
salt, black pepper to taste
8 slices thick cut bacon
2 whole onions, thinly sliced
5 tbsp butter, plus more for buttering the pan
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated gruyere cheese (can substitute with emmental / swiss cheese)
1/2 cup grated fontina cheese (can substitute with gouda / gruyere cheese)
4 ounces goat cheese (chevre) (can substitute with ricotta / cream cheese)
1 1/2 pound macaroni
1/4 cup plain flour
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup half and half
2 whole eggs, beaten
4 ounces crumbled gorgonzola / other blue cheese (can substitute with feta cheese)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 220 degC. Drizzle the mushrooms with olive oil, then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Roast them in the oven until deep golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside
2. Next, fry the bacon until chewy but not yet crisp. Chop the bacon into bite-size bits and set aside
3. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, saute the onions in 1 tbsp butter, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Set aside 
4. Cook the macaroni until just undercooked. Drain and set aside
5. To make the sauce, melt the remaining 4 tbsp butter in a large pot over medium heat Sprinkle in the flour, whisking to combine. Let the roux cook for a minute or so, whisking constantly. Pour in the milk, whisking constantly, then cook the white sauce for 3 to 5 mins, or until thick and bubbly
6. Next, add the half and half, 1 tsp of salt, black pepper, and stir to combine
7. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the hot white sauce into a small bowl containing the beaten egg, stirring the egg with a fork as you drizzle it in. Once combined, pour the mixture into the pot with the white sauce, stirring constantly. Add all the cheese in (except gorgonzola) and stir them around to melt
8. Add the cooked macaroni and stir to coat. Splash in a little milk or hot water as needed for thinning.
9. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 x 13 inch baking pan generously
10. Lay half the cooked onions in the bottom of the pan, followed by half the macaroni, half the roasted mushrooms, half the gorgonzola, and half the bacon. Repeat the layers, ending with the bacon. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until bubbly and hot

 

Posted by Ree | The Pioneer Woman on February 8 2013

 

 This post it for Cook Like A Star 2nd Anniversary Cooking Party March & April 2014 hosted by Zoe from Bake For Happy Kids, Mich from Piece of Cake and Joyce from Kitchen Flavours, where we can cook or bake like Donna Hay, Barefoot Contessa, Jamie Oliver, Masterchef, Martha Stewart, Delia Smith, Curtis Stone, Nigella Lawson, Ree Drummond and Bill Granger