Barefoot Bloggers- Grown Up Mac and Cheese with Turkey Bacon and Broccoli

Heather of Randomosity and the Girl really picked a winner this time. She chose Grown Up Mac and Cheese for this week's Barefoot Bloggers recipe. My daughter was praising me before she even took a bite. She does love cheese with a passion. I knew no matter what mixture of cheese I used, this was going to be delicious. I decided to use what I had in the fridge, and luckily there was an enormous amount of Gouda, some cheddar and leftover Italian blend. I also used whole wheat pasta and turkey bacon, because that is what I always use and have on hand. I also decided as I was mixing this up, that the lone head of broccoli in the fridge would love to go swimming in this delicious cheese sauce. There was more than enough of that cheesy goodness to go around and everyone was more than happy. I baked it in 6 cute little dishes, courtesy of a recent hand me down (Thanks Grandpa), so I only baked them for 15 minutes. Everyone had there own serving and it was a good thing because some of us were sneaking bites out of the other bowls. This was delicious and will definitely make it back onto the table soon- Click HERE to get the original recipe

Grown Up Mac and Cheese with Turkey Bacon and Broccoli adapted from the Barefoot Contessa
4 ounces turkey bacon, chopped and cooked until crisp

2 cups whole wheat rotini

1 1/2 cups 2% milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 ounces Gouda cheese, grated

3 ounces Italian blend shredded cheese

2 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Pinch nutmeg

2 cups steamed broccoli

2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed

2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rotini 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 Gouda, Italian blend, Cheddar, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni, bacon, steamed broccoli, and stir well. Pour into 2 individual size gratin dishes or smaller ramekins if you want to get more servings, and reduce the baking time accordingly (I used 6 little dishes and only kept them in the oven for 15 minutes).
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.

Cheesiest Cheese and Macaroni

I have tried making homemade mac and cheese before and it wasn't very good. I tried again and voila! it was delicious. This is a very heavy dish, so don't look at the ingredients, just make it and share it with a large crowd of people! It is sooo good~!

Cheesiest Cheese and Macaroni from My A to Z Recipe Box by Hilary Shevlin
Karmilowicz
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups milk ( I used 2%)
1/2 tsp salt
8 cups water
2 cups dry macaroni (I used whole wheat)
2 Tbls bread crumbs (I used seasoned)
2 Tbls butter, cut into tiny pieces

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 1. In a large bowl, combine all the cheeses and stir until well mixed. 2. Add the cream, milk and salt to the cheese. Mix well. 3. Boil the water in a large pot, add the macaroni, and cook for 8-10 minutes. Drain the macaroni. 4. Add the macaroni to the cheese sauce and stir well to coat. 5. Pour the mixture into a 9*12- inch baking dish, sprinkle with the bread crumbs, and dot all over with the butter. 6. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the pasta is bubbly.