Fancy Macaroni and Cheese

Until this morning, fall was here but it did not really feel like so. Leaves were still on trees and it was still so warm. This morning however everything changed. It was raining, my driveway was paved with leaves and the morning light was dimmer, almost orangey… It made me think of a poem from Paul Verlaine I learnt when I was growing up:

“Les Sanglots longs Des Violons de l’automne Blessent mon coeur D’une langueur Monotone (…)Il pleure dans mon coeur Comme il pleut sur la ville. Quelle est cette langueur Qui penenetre mon Coeur” (The longs sobs of The violons Of Autumn Lay waste my heart With monotones Of boredom (…)Falling tears in my heart Falling rain on th town. Why this long ache, A knife in my heart.)

And this made me feel melancholic…happy and sad at the same time. Happy because Thanksgiving is coming, and I will be home for a few days, sad because it is in times like this that I miss my family from Home……

But enough babbling, with this weather also comes envy of comfort food. So here is one: Macaroni and Cheese. This recipe is based on a recipe I found in the Cooking Light Comfort Food Magazine on display in store right now.

Ingredients: 4 cups of uncooked pastas ( I used Penne Rigatoni), 4 cups of water, 3 tbsp of butter, 1/2 cup of Crumbled Smoked Bacon, 1 purple onion diced thinly, 3 tbsp of flour, 3 cups of milk, 3/4 tsp of onion powder, 3/4 tsp of garlic powder, 3/4 tsp of dill, 4 oz of 6 Italian Cheese mix, 4 oz of sharp cheddar, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Materials; Demarle frying pan, small saucepan, Large Round Mold, Octogonal Silpat.

1. You can cook pastas acccording to the package directions or you can cook using the round mold and octogonal silpat. In the large round mold, place 4 cups of pastas, 4 cups of water and 1/2 tsp of salt. Microwave for 10 minutes. Stir and microwave for another 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile prepare the sauce for the pasta. In a small saucepan, melt 2 tbsp of butter, add 3 tbsp of flour and mix well to make a roux. When the flour is turning brown, add the warm milk and stir at medium temperature until it comes to boil. Cook for another 5 minutes until it thickens. Add the Italian Cheese, the garlic powder, onion, dill, 1/2 tsp of salt, 1/16 tsp of pepper, mix well and set aside.

3. In a frying pan, warm up 1 tbsp of olive oil and saute those onions until they become brown and caramelized. Add the bacon and cook for a few minutes. Set aside.

Drain the pasta of excess water. Place the pastas back into the round mold and add the sauce. Mix well. Sprinkle the sharp cheddar on top of the pastas. And spread the bacon/ onion mixture on top of the cheese. Cook in a warm oven for 15 minutes at 375. Et voila!

I served my pasta with ancho chili roasted chicken tenders and staemed corn with red pepper flake, but you may add already cooked and diced chicken to this dish to make it a meal.