Daddys Mac And Cheese Recipes

Steps:

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the macaroni and cook for 8 to 9 minutes, until al dente. Drain.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a small saucepan heat the milk with the thyme sprigs and 2 garlic cloves. Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, to keep lumps from forming. Strain the solids out of the milk and whisk it into the butter and flour mixture. Continue to whisk vigorously, and cook until the mixture is nice and smooth. Stir in the 4 cups of the cheese and continue to cook and stir to melt the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cooked macaroni and the parsley and fold that all in to coat the macaroni with the cheese mixture. Scrape into a 3-quart baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
• While that bakes, heat a saute pan. Add the bacon, render the fat and cook until crispy. Add onion, garlic and thyme leaves and cook for about 5 minutes to soften the onion. Season with salt and pepper.
• To serve, scatter the bacon mixture over the mac and cheese. Use a big spoon to scoop out servings, making sure you get some of the smoking bacon mixture on each spoonful.

Steps:

• Start large pot of salted water on stove to boil.
• Heat 4 cups of milk in microwave for 3-4 minutes just to warm.
• In large dutch oven heat butter to melt and whisk in flour over medium-high heat. Whisk until mixture starts to brown and smell nutty. Whisk in milk and continue to whisk until mixture thickens and is smooth. Add salt.
• Boil pasta until almost done according to package instructions.
• While pasta is boiling stir in cheeses starting with the feta and finshing with the jack. Add in small amounts and continue stirring. The feta may not completely incorporate.
• Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and stir to incorporate. If too thick or if going to serve much later add some of the reserved pasta water.