Mac 'n' Cheese with Bacon and Cheese (Chefs We Love- Year Three: Volume 10; February, 2013)

Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Ready in: 1 hour
Serves: 6- 8

Ingredients:
Salt (to taste)
1 lb. elbow macaroni
4 c. milk
2- 3 sprigs thyme
4 cloves garlic- smashed
3 T. unsalted butter
3 T. flour
5 1/2 c. sharp white Cheddar cheese- shredded
Pepper (to taste)
1/4 c. flat-leaf parsley- chopped
4 slices bacon- cut crosswise into thin strips
1 large onion- diced
2 garlic cloves- smashed
Leaves from 1/4 bunch fresh thyme

Directions:
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat

- Add macaroni and cook until al dente, about 8- 9 min

- Drain

- Preheat oven to 400
- In a small saucepan, heat milk with thyme sprigs and 2 garlic cloves

- Melt butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat

- Whisk in flour and cook for about 1 min, stirring constantly to keep lumps from forming

- Strain solids out of milk and whisk into butter and flour mixture

- Continue to whisk vigorously, and cook until mixture is nice and smooth

- Stir in 4 c. cheese and continue to cook and stir to melt cheese

- Season with salt and pepper

- Add cooked macaroni and parsley and fold in to coat macaroni with cheese mixture

- Scrape into a 3 quart baking dish

- Sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 c. cheese

- Bake until hot and bubbly, about 30 min
- While that bakes, heat a saute pan

- Add bacon, render fat and cook until crispy

- Add onion, garlic, and thyme leaves

- Cook for about 5 min to soften onion

- Season with salt and pepper
- To serve, scatter bacon mixture over mac and cheese

- Use a big spoon to scoop out servings, making sure you get some of the bacon mixture on each spoonful


*Beckie found recipe here