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Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Tasty Tuesdays: Grown Up Mac & Cheese

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Welcome to Tasty Tuesdays!
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I'm a huge fan of homemade mac & cheese.  It's the perfect comfort food if you ask me.  My absolute favorite mac & cheese is made at a local restaurant, The Greenwell.  I've had it many, many times and get serious cravings for it.  If you are ever in Grand Rapids, do yourself a favor and order it. 
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Anyways, I love trying different mac & cheese recipes at home.  This one (while nothing like The Greenwell's) was pretty good and easy to make.  Perfect comfort food for the cold spring we are having!  It was a little blander than I expected.  Next time I might replace one of the cheeses with something a little stronger.
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{ Recipe adapted from Sunset Magazine, March 2011 }
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Ingredients:
- 12 ounces ziti (or similar shaped) pasta
- 4 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-in. pieces
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk
- 4 ounces gruyère cheese, coarsely shredded
- 4 ounces Italian fontina cheese, coarsely shredded
- 2 ounces freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
- 3/4 cup sun dried tomatoes (optional; this is something I added, it wasn't in the original recipe)
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
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Preparation:
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1. Cook pasta according to the package directions.
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2. Meanwhile, fry bacon in a medium saucepan over medium heat until brown and crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
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3. Pour off all but 1 tbsp. fat from pan. Add flour and whisk over medium heat. Pour in milk 1/4 cup at a time, whisking well after each addition (it will be very thick at first) until incorporated and smooth. Add cheeses in 3 batches, whisking continually and making sure each batch is mostly melted before adding the next.
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4. Drain pasta, then stir into cheese sauce along with sun dried tomatoes (sauce will thicken upon standing). Divide pasta among individual bowls and top with bacon and chives.
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Now it's your turn...what did you cook this week?
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{ Please remember to add a link in your post back to Tasty Tuesdays or add the Tasty Tuesdays button which can be found on my sidebar.  Thanks! }

AlAlso, 33 shades of Green is now on Facebook and Twitter.  I would love to have you follow me there!.

 














29 comments:

  1. Oh my gosh! So adorable! I didnt know you are from grand rapids?? Michigan?? Im from Michigan too, it's always nice to meet more michigan bloggers if that's where you are from :)

    enjoy your Tuesday! - the food looks yummy - as always!

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  2. That looks delicious! I made a grown up version of mac and cheese too. So yummy!

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  3. Oh my...I don't like mac and cheese, but this recipe is sure to change my mind. This looks delicious and I can't wait to try it, thanks :)

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  4. I know it's only breakfast time, but when I can do to get this now?

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  5. Oh that looks so good! I've never made mac & cheese before. I should give it a try!

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  6. Mmmmmm yum!!! Mouthwatering photos, I can only imagine that it tastes as good as it looks!

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  7. wow! Your Mac & Cheese looks really good!
    I'm linking up my Ground Pork in Tomato Sauce for this week! Enjoy! :)

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  8. It's not even 9am, but I could eat a bowl of that mac & cheese right now - it's delectable!

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  9. The blog looks fantastic, as does that mac & cheese! Delish! and now following on FB & Twitter :)

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  10. yummy! that mac n' cheese looks delicious! thanks for hosting!! :D

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  11. Oh my gosh! This recipe looks incredible, I cannot wait to try it.

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  12. Did I know you live in Michigan before this moment? I don't remember learning that. I'm from there, too. Except I'm from Eaton Rapids, a little tiny town south of Lansing. I moved away over ten years ago to Texas and then onto Arizona. I didn't know you were a fellow Michigander. :) Anyway, your dish this week looks amazing. I may have to make this for my husband.

    p.s. Isn't Fontina cheese the best?

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  13. This just looks delicious. Bacon, pasta, cheese. Heaven!

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  14. Wow! This looks incredible! I love Gruyere in mac and cheese! Thanks for the opportunity to join your link party!

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  15. Awwww man! I am here in New Zealand, and I was waiting for Tuesday to arrive in your part of the world so I could link up nice and early my PRIMO Tiramisu recipe post.... dammit!
    While I was Sleeping 70 other people got in before me... ah well. I hope somebody might still come by and check out my dessert *sniff* it's so yummy, and easy and...
    Ah, enough with the self-pity. It's time for me to move on to Wordless Wednesday! LOL.

    PS I was a regular tasty tuesday gal when it was over at Alicia's blog but have just found where TT is living now, so hopefully will be able to link up more regularly from now on :)
    x

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  16. I make a macaroni that is close to this yours
    (http://monstermama-monstermama.blogspot.com/2010/04/macaroni-cupcakes.html)
    but your sun-dried tomatoes and bacon take macaroni to another level. Looks incredible :)
    mickey

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  17. You make everything look so stinking divine. I must try this. I tried your BLT salad last night and my kids were not fans. I was so bummed. Hubs and I loved it. But this? I think this could be a winner. lol.

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  18. Thanks a lot..This Grown up mac and cheese is so inviting.I just linked mine..Bacahlau con Olive oil and Tomato

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  19. Hi Alissa! I am now following you on Twitter (I am andreasjewelry there). This week I am sharing my recipe for Pork Chops With Apples And Almonds. It's an easy recipe and tastes great too.
    Thanks for hosting!

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  20. Thanks for hosting. I love these links. Such great recipes!!

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  21. What a lovely mac and cheese - I love using fontina and gruyere and parm, so I'm sure I'd love this recipe. Adding bacon and sun dried tomatoes just takes it over the top! Thanks for sharing it. I'll be making it soon.

    :)
    ButterYum

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  22. I had buffalo mac & cheese at a restaurant over the weekend. It had a gorgonzola crust on top. Yum!

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  23. This looks great!!! I am a new follower :)

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  24. @ Simoney... ha! i'm in Melbourne... had the same thought :)

    love that mac n cheese. looks delish! we love making it in our house, too, and mixing up the cheese combinations every few times to see what packs the most punch.

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  25. yum, yum, yum! mac n cheese is still one of my favorites (i'm currently eating panera's!), so i will definitely try this! i just found your blog via "a day in the life" and am a new follower! please check out mine!

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  26. yummo. another wonderful post love. huge fan of your blog. can't wait to see whats up next. if you get a second please stop by to see multiple post a day on all the latest celebrity fashion news. Would love your support. xoxo

    www.fashboulevard.blogspot.com
    follow.love.comment

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  27. I definitely just googled "grown up mac and cheese" and I'm lead here where you mention the Greenwell! I went to college at GVSU and for my capstone we had to complete a marketing plan, and my group did one for the Greenwell...it's one of my all-time favorites! Thought you'd get a kick out of that ;)

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