Grown Up Mac and Cheese

Show: Barefoot ContessaEpisode: Home Comforts

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (125)

Cook Time:
1 hr 0 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
2 servings

Times:

Prep: 10 min
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 1 hr 0 min
Total:: 1 hr 10 min

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Ingredients

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.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Grown Up Mac and Cheese
Kay Palos Verdes Estates, CA 11-09-2009
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Divine!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This was fantastic even though I used several shortcuts, including: replacing the bacon with cut-up slices of deli-style ham... and using prepared bread crumbs and a couple sprinkles of dried basil on the top. I don't think you can go wrong with this one!Read more
recipe Grown Up Mac and Cheese
Ashley Richfield, MN 11-02-2009
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use whole milk!
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I have made this recipe 2 times befor and my husband loved it, however I soon realized that my white sauce looked slightly... thin. It doesn't specify in the recipe to use whole milk, but I used skim the 1st time (way too thin) next I used 2% (still too thin) so I would suggest using a thicker whole milk. Otherwise, the recipe is fantastic... a keeper in this house, thanks Ina!Read more
recipe Grown Up Mac and Cheese
Jennifer Delta, BC 11-02-2009
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Best Mac & Cheese Recipe Ever.
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

It is fantastic, I think the gruyere makes all the difference. For those of you who have never tasted gruyere, don't worry,... t's not a scary, overwhelming potent cheese. To me it tastes something between cheddar and mozzerella. I do not like blue cheese so I omit it. Also, be careful, I love my salt but I half it in this recipe - the first time I made it, I used all the salt it called for and it was way to much so taste as you go.Read more
recipe Grown Up Mac and Cheese
Candy newbury park, CA 10-27-2009
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Saw Ina on her TV SHOW do this MAC and CHEESE! WOW EASY!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Over the I have tried and failed at homemade MAC AND CHEESE time after time. In the past it was either tough to chew, or... sticky-gooey greasy or just BAD to taste, till NOW. INA---- I LOVE YOUR MAC AND CHEESE technique! Tried my favorite cheeses instead of yours, (My Mom won't eat the "fancy" cheeses....) but the process was the same and it was EXCELLENT! I never thought to mix the grated cheese directly into the macaroni and then baking! No pre-melting needed! ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!Read more
recipe Grown Up Mac and Cheese
Carissa Manhattan Beach, CA 10-25-2009
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Beyond Compare
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I was serving this at a 10-person dinner party and needed, obviously, to do multiple recipes of this. I did a Google search... and found this same Ina recipe on the House Beautiful website and it served 6. Because I was serving it alongside brisket and after heavy appetizers (crab hush puppies that were fried, gouda biscotti, etc) I figured a recipe for 6 would be juuuuust enough. The recipe used a full pound of cavatappi, so I used a 15x11 glass dish. There was plenty of mac & cheese leftover, but everyone RAVED about it. It's really amazing. I used panko crumbs instead of bread crumbs and they stayed nice and crispy. I also used 2 tsp. salt instead of the full 1 Tbs. It's just terrific, and a great dish for a dinner party. Make it and you won't be sorry. I made it the morning of the party then let it sit out for about 1 hr. before putting it in the oven. Read more
recipe Grown Up Mac and Cheese
Greg North Wales, PA 10-23-2009
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A migraine suffers recovery food
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

My wife requests I make this for her when getting over a migraine, although we substitue the blue cheese with gouda, which... also rocks! Fun and easy to make and a real life saver when someone needs a pick me up!!Read more