Macaroni and Cheese with Caramelized Onions and Bacon
- Minutes to Prepare:
- Minutes to Cook:
- Number of Servings: 12
Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni 1/4 cup light margarine 1/2 cup low fat sour cream 2 egg whites2 tablespoons low fat cream cheese, softened 4 cups grated parmesan cheese 4 cups grated low fat Cheddar cheese 4 slices turkey bacon 2 tablespoons light margarine 1 large onion, sliced thin 4 cloves garlic, minced 1/8 teaspoon brown sugar 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs 2 tablespoons light margarine5 tablespoons all-purpose flour 3 cups skim milk 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, add macaroni and cook for 8 minutes (noodles will still be slightly hard). Drain noodles and transfer to a large bowl with 1/4 cup of margarine and toss to coat. Whisk together the sour cream, egg, and cream cheese; add to the pasta and mix well. Stir in 3 cups of grated parmesan and 3 cups of grated Cheddar cheese, reserving the remaining 2 cups of cheese for the topping.
Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate and chop into small pieces.
Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Stir 2 tablespoons butter, the onion, and garlic into the bacon drippings in the pan and cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the brown sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes until the onions are very soft and golden brown. Mix the cooked bacon, parsley, and panko breadcrumbs into the onions, transfer mixture to a small bowl and set aside.
Return the skillet to the heat and melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour, and stir until the mixture becomes paste-like and light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Gradually whisk the milk into the flour mixture and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook and stir until the mixture is smooth and thickened. Stir in the ground mustard, paprika, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Remove sauce from heat and let cool for five minutes.
Pour the sauce over the macaroni mixture, stirring well. Transfer to a greased 9x13 inch pan and sprinkle with the remaining 2 cups of Cheddar cheese. Top cheese with the onion breadcrumb mixture.
Bake in preheated oven until bubbling, hot and golden brown on top, about 30 minutes.
Number of Servings: 12
Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user SKIPBOKT.
Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate and chop into small pieces.
Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Stir 2 tablespoons butter, the onion, and garlic into the bacon drippings in the pan and cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the brown sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes until the onions are very soft and golden brown. Mix the cooked bacon, parsley, and panko breadcrumbs into the onions, transfer mixture to a small bowl and set aside.
Return the skillet to the heat and melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour, and stir until the mixture becomes paste-like and light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Gradually whisk the milk into the flour mixture and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook and stir until the mixture is smooth and thickened. Stir in the ground mustard, paprika, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Remove sauce from heat and let cool for five minutes.
Pour the sauce over the macaroni mixture, stirring well. Transfer to a greased 9x13 inch pan and sprinkle with the remaining 2 cups of Cheddar cheese. Top cheese with the onion breadcrumb mixture.
Bake in preheated oven until bubbling, hot and golden brown on top, about 30 minutes.
Number of Servings: 12
Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user SKIPBOKT.
Nutritional Info Amount Per Serving
- Calories: 454.6
- Total Fat: 17.7 g
- Cholesterol: 42.2 mg
- Sodium: 1,112.5 mg
- Total Carbs: 40.8 g
- Dietary Fiber: 1.8 g
- Protein: 33.2 g
Member Reviews
-
REDGRAMA
One 1/2 cup of this as a side might be o.k. for an active
teen-ager. But if you're a vegetarian and want to make this a full 1 cup seving for meal, between the sodium in
the 4 cupsof ( Parmesan) and the fat grams in the 4 cups of cheddar, you better hit the Treadmill after eating. - 5/27/09
Reply from SKIPBOKT (5/27/09)
One serving of this is more than a cup, it's 1/12th of the recipe which fills me up, no it's not good for those watching their sodium, but 17 grams of fat for dinner isn't bad at all for those of us who don't have to watch our sodium and love mac n cheese!!!!