Bacon and Beer Macaroni & Cheese

On blustery winter days like today, there is nothing like a hot dinner filled with comfort foods.  For me, the ultimate comfort food is homemade macaroni and cheese.  There isn't any of the yellow boxed stuff served at our house; rather noodles are mixed with a rich sauce comprised of whichever cheeses I have on hand.  Bake it in the oven for a half hour or so and you end up with a rich and creamy cheesy goodness that hits the spot.

This recipe was inspired by one I found on the From Away food blog. Originally made with brown ale and cheddar cheese, I adapted the recipe based on the ingredients I had on hand.  Korce e Ze, a local dark beer was substituted for the recommended brown ale and not being able to find real cheddar cheese in Albania I used a mixture of provolone, Gouda, and Swiss.  The original recipe called for 4 full cups of half and half cream. Again, not being able to find half and half I used whole milk and still received the creamy results I desired.  In the future, I'd like to try this with cheddar and pepper jack combination.  I think this would create a complex and rich dish.  Even without these ingredients the consensus was that this version of mac and cheese was pretty darn tasty.

BACON AND BEER MACARONI & CHEESE

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided plus more for the dish

4 slices white bread, crusts removed, torn into 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces

1/2 pound bacon

4 cups whole milk

12 ounces dark beer

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 small can chopped jalapenos

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

4 cups cheese of your choice, shredded and divided

1 cup penne, ziti or similar sized pasta

1)  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Butter a 3 quart casserole dish; set aside.

2)  Place the bread in a medium bowl.  In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons

     butter.  Pour the butter into the bowl with the bread and toss.  Set the breadcrumbs aside.

3)  Dice the raw bacon and add to a large fry pan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the

     bacon is brown and crisp.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer cooked bacon to paper towels to drain.

     Drain all but 1-2 tablespoons of bacon grease from the pan, leaving all of the brown crispy bits.

4)  Heat the milk and beer in a separate saucepan over medium heat.

5)  Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter to the rendered bacon fat and allow to melt.  When the

      butter bubbles, whisk in the flour, scraping the bottom of the pan to release the brown crispy bits

      and stir until combined with no lumps remaining, approximately 1 minute.

6)  While whisking, slowly pour in the hot milk and beer mixture.  Continue cooking, whisking

      constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.  Remove the pan from the heat.  Stir in the

      salt, nutmeg, black pepper, jalapenos, 3 1/2 cups cheese, and cooked bacon.  Set cheese sauce

      aside.

7)  Fill a large saucepan with water; bring to a boil.  Add the pasta and cook 2 to 3 minutes less than the

     manufacturer's directions, until the outside of the pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone.  

8)  Transfer the past to a colander, rinse under cold running water and drain well.

9)  Stir the pasta into the reserved cheese sauce.  Pour the mixture into the prepared dish.  Sprinkle with

     remaining 1/2 cup of cheese, bread crumbs, and paprika.

10)  Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes.  Serve

       hot.

Bacon and Herb Risotto

I love risotto.  Unfortunately this tasty rice dish has developed the reputation for being time consuming and difficult to make.  It really isn't. You can serve a basic white risotto as an accompaniment to a saucy dish, dress it up with sophisticated add-ins as a fancy side dish or pair it with a green salad and serve it alone as an entree for a quick weeknight dinner.  Rice is the perfect palliate to build off of and I think all home cooks should have a good risotto recipe in their repertoire.  

I no longer use a written recipe when I make my risotto; rather I use a standard formula of liquid to rice and add in whatever ingredients sound good or I have on hand at the time.  For the intimidated or new risotto maker, Maxine Clark's Risotto is a great primer for learning about the importance of choosing the correct rice (yes, this does make a difference) and the role each component plays in completing the dish.  Her recipes can provide inspiration for flavor combinations to get you started.  I find that homemade broth is best.  Whenever I don't have the time to make my own (which is usually the case) a low sodium store bought version will work.  Full sodium versions tend to be too salty and you want to be able to taste your ingredients, and not the salt.  

BACON AND HERB RISOTTO

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

4 to 4 1/2 cups hot vegetable broth

6 slices bacon, diced

1 small onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup finely chopped herbs (I used thyme and sage)

1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Freshly ground pepper

1)  Place the bacon in a heavy sauce pan, place over medium high heat and cook until crisp, stirring

     occasionally.  

2)  Reduce the heat to medium.  Add the onion and saute until soft, 5-7 minutes.

3)  Add the rice and stir. Cook until the rice is translucent, 1-2 minutes.

4)  Add the wine and cook until absorbed, 1-2 minutes.

5)  Gradually add the hot broth a 1/2 cup at a time.  Stir regularly, but not constantly, until broth is
     almost absorbed.  Add broth as needed and continue to cook until rice is al dente--or to your
     individual liking.   The risotto should be moist and have some liquids in it since it will continue to
     thicken as it sits.  You may not use all of the broth.

6)  Off the heat.  Add the chopped herbs and ground pepper and stir to combine.

7)  Stir in the cheese and stir until it is completely combined and melted.

8)  Serve immediately with more freshly grated cheese as desired.

Real Men Do Eat Quiche

Long days often make putting dinner on the table in a timely manner difficult, if not impossible.  A family can only eat so many pasta with sauce and grilled sausage meals (this is our old standby when I don't have the energy to make anything else).  Fortunately, quiche is always at hit in my house.  If you have the ingredients on hand--and all you really need are the kitchen staples of milk, eggs, and cheese-- everything else can be improvised and dinner can be in the oven in a matter of minutes.  I throw in whatever vegetables and meats I have available; sometimes it is ham or bacon or no meats at all.  As with most things, everything tastes better with bacon so this tends to be my most common add-in which helps to keep household interest up.

Aside from the actually baking of the quiche, which is totally hands off, the most time consuming aspect of the meal is the crust.  Sometimes I make my own following the simple three ingredient recipe of flour, butter, and water.  Purists may cringe, but more often than not I use a pre-made refrigerated crust.  It makes the whole process so much easier and faster.  If the goal is to quickly put a balanced meal on the table this is the way to go.  Throw together a simple green salad while the quiche is baking and you'll be all set.

BACON AND TOMATO QUICHE

1 deep dish pie crust

8-10 slices bacon

1 1/2 cups shredded swiss cheese (or a cheese of your choosing)

2 medium ripe tomatoes

1 1/2 cups milk- low-fat or whole

5 eggs

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

pinch dried mustard powder

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

salt and pepper to taste

Paprika

1)  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2) Prepare the crust of your choice.  Roll out the crust to fit a 10 inch deep dish pie crust.

3)  Shred the cheese and spread over the bottom of the pie crust.  

4)  Dice the bacon into 1/4 inch pieces.  Place in a large saute pan and cook over medium heat until
      browned and crisp, approximately 10-12 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon transfer the cooked bacon
      to a paper towel covered plate and drain.  Sprinkle the cooked bacon over the top of the cheese.

5)  Slice the tomatoes and place over the top of the bacon, arranging in a manner that will facilitate the
      even slicing of the cooked quiche.

6)  Combine the milk, eggs, flour, dried mustard, thyme, and salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Using a
     stick blend blend the mixture until smooth and the flour is thoroughly incorporated into the liquids.
     Pour the custard over the top of the tomatoes.  Sprinkle with paprika.

7)  Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes until a cake tester inserted into the center of the
     quiche is clean.  Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before slicing.

Served with a green salad this makes a perfect light dinner.  The quiche is even better the next day served either cold or at room temperature.

Jamming With Bacon

The old adage that everything is better with bacon holds true.  In my quest for new bacon related recipes I stumbled upon this one from King Arthur Flour.  Because it is made in a crock pot, the hands on time for this dish is minimal and your entire house will be filled with the sweet and salty aroma of this jam before you are done.  I was initially taken aback by the ingredients, which individually I love but I just couldn't fathom being put together as a single dish (maple syrup mixed with coffee???), but the results surprised me........after all everything is better with bacon.  Whether served on bread slices and paired with a salad for a light dinner or paired with bread and goat cheese as part of a buffet table, this jam is a hit.

Not having boiled cider on hand, and being unable to have it shipped to me, I improvised by making a reduction of apple juice cooked with a whole cinnamon stick and five whole cloves.  The result isn't quite the same but the resulting syrup seemed to do the trick.

BACON JAM

1 1/2 pounds bacon

2 medium onions, peeled and thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup boiled cider

3/4 cup strong brewed coffee

2 dried bay leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

1)  Slice the bacon into 1" slices and cook in a large skillet until well browned.  Drain the fat and reserve the bacon.

2)  Place the cooked bacon and all other ingredients into a 2 quart or larger crock pot.  Cover and cook  on high for 3 to 4 hours.

3)  Remove the cooked jam from the crock pot, remove the bay leaves, and carefully transfer to a food processor or blender.  (I used a bowl and my trusty stick blender).  Pulse until the consistency is to your liking, a soft, spreadable jam.  You can leave the bacon in larger bits or pulse until very small, your choice.

4)  If you find the jam too liquid for your taste, transfer to a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the liquid has evaporated and the jam is thick and syrupy.  Adjust the seasonings and serve warm.

5)  Store airtight in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.  Warm in the microwave before serving.

Yield:  2 cups

Welcome

Welcome to my food blog!

For the past year and a half I've been blogging about my adventures of living, traveling, and eating in Albania and the surrounding European countries.  I'm going to continue sharing these experiences through Albania or Bust, but I'm now branching out into a second blog that focuses on my true passion--all things food.

I've already posted a lot about food.  All About Bacon paid homage to this sinfully delicious pork product while  Culinary Satisfaction showcased the simple, yet delicious foods I've been able to find here in Albania. I've shared some of my own culinary feats, like the sit down Thanksgiving dinner for 25 that I served last year.  In Slow Food Albania, I talked about my first experience eating at  Mrizi i Zanave, the only Slow Food restaurant in Albania.  I've returned there since that visit and true to form, the next meal was just as memorable.  Peppery Paprika and Other Hungarian Delights focused on my my culinary experiences during a week in Budapest.  

In future posts I'll talk about my experiences in shopping, cooking, and eating food in this tiny Balkan country.  In the past I've shied away from discussing my cooking disasters--the cake that wouldn't bake, the tart that singed to a crisp within minutes of being in the oven--- but since these are all a part of the overall experience I'll be talking about that too.

I hope you will enjoy what you read and as always, I welcome your comments.