Side Dish
Baked Mac and Cheese with Bacon
Viszlay Vineyards
851 Limerick Lane
Healdsburg, CA 95448
viszlayvineyards.com
- RECIPE YEAR: 2016
- RECIPE BY: Food Network Saj1337
- YIELD: Serves 8
- PAIRS WELL WITH: Heritage Red Blend
Two of our favorite comfort foods in one dish! Easy and delicious, this is a great side dish for the blind tasting party next week.
Ingredients:
- Salt, to taste
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
- 4 cups milk
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce, plus more, to taste
- 1 pound bacon, fried until crispy and crumbled
- 1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional topping)
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs (optional topping)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the macaroni and cook according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside. In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and stir constantly until smooth. Increase the heat to medium, add the milk and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the hot sauce and stir until blended. Add the macaroni, bacon and cheddar cheese. Stir until the cheese melts, the bacon is mixed in and the macaroni is evenly coated. Pour the macaroni and cheese into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and top according to your taste, using a mixture of Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs, if desired. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. (If using a Parmesan cheese and bread crumb topping, remove from the oven when the top is lightly browned. If using a cheddar cheese topping, remove it when the top is darkened but not burnt.)
