Barefoot Bloggers: Mac 'N Cheese

I actually made this on the day it was due. I've just been too dang busy to post it! In any case, welcome to one of the September BB posts. The next one is coming soon, as I've made it but I just have to upload the pics.
The ingredients. Just don't forget the pasta. It's essential for macaroni and cheese. Obviously.
I always bake the bacon in an oven. Set it to 375 degrees.
Grate the cheese. Blue cheese, sharp cheddar and it's supposed to be gruyere, but I'm too cheap to spend $8.99 per pound on cheese. I used another soft cheese instead.
While your bacon is cooking and smoking, have Bimmer Man try and take apart the smoke detector to no avail. It's hard wired so it still goes off even hanging there. Our solution = me cooking, Bimmer Man fanning a dishtowel in front of it.
Cook the macaroni.
Make your bechamel sauce and add the cheese.
Add the nutmeg.
Then your cooked pasta.
Then the bacon and stir to combine.
Put in two small baking dishes or one small dish. Apparently this is just for two, well, it's really more for three or four.
Top with basil seasoned bread crumbs.
And bake.
Until bubbly.
Very bubbly.

Ina's Grown Up Mac N Cheese

• 4 ounces thick-sliced bacon
• Vegetable oil
• Kosher salt
• 2 cups elbow macaroni or cavatappi
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
• 3 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated
• 2 ounces blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch nutmeg
• 2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in 1 layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is crisp. Remove the pan carefully from the oven - there will be hot grease in the pan! Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and crumble when it is cool enough to handle.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt the butter in a medium pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or 2 more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, blue cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and crumbled bacon and stir well. Pour into 2 individual size gratin dishes.

Place the bread slices in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until you have coarse crumbs. Add the basil and pulse to combine. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top of the pasta. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

Enjoy!

PSH