Recipe type: Cooking for a Crowd, Worknight Dinners, Weekend Cooking
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
1 pound elbow macaroni
4 cups whole or 2% reduced fat milk
2 or 3 whole sprigs thyme
4 cloves garlic, smashed and divided
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5½ cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into thin strips
Instructions
Prepare the macaroni according to package directions for pasta al dente. Drain in a colander and set aside.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a small saucepan heat the milk with the thyme sprigs and 2 garlic cloves. Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat.
Make a roux: whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, to keep lumps from forming. Strain the garlic and thyme out of the milk and whisk it into the butter and flour mixture. Continue to whisk vigorously, and cook until the mixture is nice and smooth. Stir in the 4 cups of the cheese and continue to cook and stir to melt the cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the cooked macaroni and the parsley and fold that all in to coat the macaroni with the cheese mixture. Scrape into a large (3 quart or 9x13 size) baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1½ cups cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
Meanwhile, cook the bacon until hot and crispy. To serve, scatter the bacon mixture over the mac and cheese and serve hot.
Recipe by In Good Taste at https://ingoodtaste.kitchen/bacon-macaroni-cheese/