Fancy Macaroni

Courtesy of Pioneer Woman: LINK

Ingredients
4 cups Macaroni
8 Tablespoons Butter (Salted Butter)
2 whole Medium Onions, Cut In Half And Sliced Thin
10 slices Regular Bacon
1 Tablespoon Bacon Grease (reserved From Bacon Slices)
¼ cups All-purpose Flour
2 cups Whole Or 2% Milk
½ cups Half-and-Half
2 whole Egg Yolks, Beaten
Salt And Pepper, to taste
½ cups Grated Gruyere Cheese
½ cups Grated Fontina Cheese
½ cups Grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
4 ounces, weight Chevre (soft Goat Cheese)

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook macaroni for half the time of the package instructions. Drain and set aside. Fry bacon until slightly, but not overly, crispy. Drain on a paper towel. Reserve grease.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a skillet and then saute onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown and soft. Set aside.

In a pot, melt 4 tablespoons butter (and add 1 tablespoon of the reserved bacon grease for good measure!). Sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat for 1 minute. Pour in milk and half & half, then cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until thick. Reduce heat to low. Add salt & pepper to taste. (Do not undersalt!)

Beat egg yolks and drizzle 1/4 cup hot mixture into the yolks, stirring constantly. Stir to combine. Pour egg mixture into sauce and cook for another minute.

Add cheeses and stir until melted. Add onions and bacon and stir. Taste for seasonings and add more salt if needed. Add cooked macaroni and stir to coat.

Pour into a baking dish and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until sizzling and hot. Serve with red meat or a green salad.

Penne a la Vodka

This recipe was made by Christine for Chris at the inaugural October 2009 Local Eats dinner to represent his Italian heritage.

Penne a la Vodka
(Source: Modified from All Recipes)

PREP TIME 10 Min
COOK TIME 15 Min
READY IN 25 Min
SERVINGS 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (16 ounce) package penne pasta
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 pound thinly sliced pancetta bacon, chopped
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1/3 cup vodka
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp dried basil (or several shredded fresh basil leaves)
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Parsley for garnishing, optional
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. Meanwhile, melt butter or margarine in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pancetta, and saute until lightly browned. Add garlic and onions and cook until onions are translucent and garlic is aromatic.
3. Add vodka and stir until it is reduced by half, about 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Stir in tomato sauce, cream, and all seasonings. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes. Stir every few minutes.
5. Stir in pasta, and heat through. If desired, garnish with parsley and serve with parmesan cheese.