GoodyFoodies: I cooked: Macaroni with Cheese and Bacon

I love eating macaroni and cheese. I think most kids will love it too, so decided to make it for my own kids to try. It's the first time I've made it for my family. Baby C enjoyed it since she loves cheese and Hubby also gave this his thumbs up.. so a first time success for me. :)

You can make a side salad with a balsamic dressing -- the vinegar will help cut through the richness of the macaroni and makes very pleasant eating.

This recipe is fairly simple though it is quite time consuming. So it's a good dish to make over the weekend when you have more time.

Macaroni with cheese and bacon and a side salad

Macaroni with cheese and bacon
Preparation time: 10-15 mins
Cooking time: 1 hour
Serves 4

250g macaroni
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
150g streaky bacon, chopped into small pieces
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, diced

For the Bechamel sauce
40g butter
40g plain flour, sifted
600ml milk
250g mature cheddar, grated
50g Parmesan
Freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste

For the salad dressing
1 shallot, diced finely
1 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, add some salt and few drops of olive oil and cook the macaroni according to the packet instruction. Drain and rinse under cold tap to prevent it from cooking any further.

2. While pasta is cooking, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan, and add the onion and garlic and cook for 2-3 mins, or until softened. Add the bacon and cook until it is golden brown and crisp. Remove from heat.

3. To make the sauce, melt the butter in a pan over low heat. Stir in the flour to form a roux, and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes. Gradually stir in the milk, a little at a time. Cook for 10-15 minutes until you have a thick and smooth sauce. Stir in 175g of grated cheddar cheese and season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

4. Place paste and 130g of bacon into a well-buttered ovenproof dish or you can use several ramekins for easier serving. Pour the sauce over the ingredients in the dish and mix it a little so that the sauce coats the pasta evenly. Then top with remaining Cheddar and Parmesan.

5. Place in a pre-heated oven (200ºC) for 20-25 minutes until the top is nicely browned and the sauce bubbling. Meanwhile, you can make your salad dressing by combining all the ingredients in a bowl and toss the salad leaves and cherry tomatoes with the dressing. (Optional: You can also add some bacon to the salad)