Brussel Sprout, Onion, and Bacon Mac & Cheese

I bet you can already tell from the title that this is going to be a delicious post. Some people may have only needed to see the word bacon or, like me, maybe it was the Brussel sprouts. Either way you're in for a major treat.

Last night we hosted friends for dinner and I came across this recipe while searching for side items. It looked absolutely decadent and hey, it does have some green veggies in it so that counts right?

This dish is pretty easy to make and I can guarantee that it'll be a crowd-pleaser. To start, cut up 4-5 slices of thick cut bacon into approximately 1 inch pieces. Preheat the oven to 425, place the bacon on a baking sheet, and roast for 10 minutes. While the bacon is roasting slice a pint of Brussel sprouts in half and dice up half of a sweet onion. Once the bacon is done add them to the same sheet, toss in the bacon grease, season with salt and pepper, and roast for another 10 minutes.

While the veggies are roasting, boil 1 16oz box of shells in a large pot of salted water according to package directions. Meanwhile, start on your cheese sauce.

Melt 1/4 cup of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once butter has melted, slowly incorporate 1/2 cup of flour, stirring constantly to make a roux. You must stir constantly! If you don't the flour will clump and you want a nice, smooth roux. Once you've made your roux, slowly add in 2 and 1/2 cups of milk, again stirring constantly. Stir until the mixture has thickened.

Time to add the cheese! Slice up a cup and a half of white cheddar (I bought a few blocks at the store and cubed it) and 6 slices of American swiss cheese. Add these into the sauce along with 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon of salt, and a few dashes of hot sauce if you like. Stir until melted.

Once your pasta has finished cooking and has been drained add it back into the pot and pour in the cheese sauce and vegetable/bacon mixture. Mix well, then add to a large baking dish. Top with shredded parmesan cheese. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Serve hot!

This was a hit. Everyone had seconds and it also reheated well for lunch today. It would be a great side dish for the Christmas holiday!