4 Cheese Fancy Baked Mac N Cheese

As i was searching the web today after my schoolwork was completed, trying to get ideas for dinner. I went to one of my favorite cooking blogs The Pioneer Woman. I was searching through her expansive recipes, and came across what looked like heaven in a pan. Yes, I said heaven in a pan. She calls it Fancy Macaroni. I altered it a little, so I'm calling it 4 Cheese Fancy Mac N Cheese. And yes, if you read her post on it... she is right, it is a very decadent dish should be reserved for a special occasion, like Tuesdays :) That's my excuse for making it. I even went to the store to purchase some of the cheeses she lists so I could try to replicate it as closely as her recipe. But of course as I go along, I realize that something else would make it yummy too, so I add it to it.

Is that so wrong? I wanted to call this Heavenly Mac N Cheese. Which is probably a better description, but I think I should let someone else have that one,... the originator... The Pioneer Woman... She is an amazing cook and when I grow up I want to be her! She does amazing things with food, and it makes my mouth water just by reading her blog posts. I'm so not worthy, but I did my humble best. Thanks Pioneer Woman for helping me create the BEST Baked mac n cheese I've ever had! You ROCK!!! (if you ever read my humble blog, I am truly honored!)

Ingredients

• 4 cups Macaroni
• 8 Tablespoons Butter (Salted Butter)
• 2 whole Medium Onions, Cut In Half And Sliced Thin
• 10 slices Regular Bacon
• 1 Tablespoon Bacon Grease (reserved From Bacon Slices)
• ¼ cups All-purpose Flour
• 2 cups Whole Or 2% Milk
• ½ cups Half-and-half
• 2 whole Egg Yolks, Beaten
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• ½ cups Grated Gruyere Cheese
• ½ cups Grated Fontina Cheese - I used Romano cheese
• ½ cups Grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese - I used Asiago cheese
• 4 ounces, weight Chevre (soft Goat Cheese) - I used crumbled goat cheese (3.5 oz)
• 1 Tbsp pesto

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook macaroni for half the time of the package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Fry bacon until slightly, but not overly, crispy. Drain on a paper towel. Reserve grease.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter and 1-2 Tbsp bacon fat in a skillet and then saute onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown and soft. Set aside.

In a pot, melt 4 tablespoons butter (and add 1 tablespoon of the reserved bacon grease for good measure!). Sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat for 1 minute. Pour in milk and half & half, then cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until thick. Reduce heat to low. Add salt & pepper to taste. (Do not undersalt!)

Beat egg yolks and drizzle 1/4 cup hot mixture into the yolks, stirring constantly. Stir to combine. Pour egg mixture into sauce and cook for another minute.

Add cheeses, pesto and stir until melted and combined. Add onions and bacon (reserving some for topping) and stir. Taste for seasonings and add more salt if needed. Add cooked macaroni and stir to coat.

Pour into a baking dish, Cover with reserved onion and bacon and 1/4 cup shredded Gruyere and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until sizzling and hot.

Serve with red meat or a green salad.

I served it with pesto breaded chicken cutlets and brussels sprouts. 

** All italics are things I did differently from the original recipe. So yummy!

I thought this was a fabulous dinner. Very flavorful and definitely good on a Tuesday after eating a week of crock pot meals. I really enjoyed making this dish. It was really tasty! I hope you like it too.