When I need mac n’ cheese in my life the classic blue box of powdered cheese mixture will never satisfy my taste buds. It’s boring and a poor substitute for those who have had better. That said, I also loathe fussy sauce recipes. Typically these create images of whisking flour, cream and cheese together and then there’s the whole issue of if the sauce will break. I’m exhausted just thinking about it.
Here’s my solution: A simple, foolproof and homemade mac ‘n cheese with a few spears of bacon wrapped asparagus sitting on top.
There’s something about bacon that just makes everything feel special. I can’t think of one thing that is made less delicious by the addition of bacon. By coating the only sliver of healthy in this recipe with fatty porky goodness it turns this entire mac ‘n cheese combo into something very, very naughty. I dare you not to eat the entire lot by yourself.
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Mac ‘n Cheese
Serves 2
½ lb pasta
1 tbsp butter
250 ml heavy cream
1/3 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
3 cloves diced garlic
Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
1 bunch of asparagus
4 slices of bacon
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Fill a pot with water and get the heat turned on high. Next, in a smaller pan turn on medium heat. Once the pan is warm add the butter and diced garlic. Heat the garlic just until it becomes aromatic. Add the cream and continue to cook on medium heat, stir occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. The sauce will cook for about 15 minutes, or until it becomes thick and slightly yellowish.
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Next, turn on a frying pan to medium heat. Grab your slices of bacon and cut them into 1/3 pieces. Wrap the divided pieces around the middle of each spear of asparagus. Secure with a toothpick if needed or else place the spears into the pan with the seam of the bacon down. Season with salt and pepper. Rotate the spears until the bacon is crisp and the asparagus is still a vibrant green.
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Once the pasta water boils, add a healthy sprinkle of salt and ½ lb of pasta, or half of the package. When the pasta is cooked to al dente strain the water. Return pasta to the pan and add the reduced cream sauce and shredded cheese, combine. For the shredded cheese you can use any variety that you prefer. I tend to like aged white cheddar but parmesan or gruyere are lovely options.
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Find a fork immediately and allow your mouth to enjoy!
