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Bacon-Pear Macaroni and Cheese
- Makes: 6 servings
- Prep 40 mins
- Bake 30 mins
- Stand 10 mins
Ingredients
-
8
ounces
dried elbow macaroni (2 cups) or other short tubular pasta (2 1/3 cups)
-
6
slices
bacon
-
1/2
cup
chopped onion (1 medium)
-
2
cloves
garlic, minced
-
2
tablespoons
all-purpose flour
-
1
teaspoon
dry mustard
-
1/2
teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
-
2 1/2
cups
whole milk
-
6
ounces
smoked Gouda cheese, rind removed and shredded
-
1
8 -
ounce package
cream cheese, cubed and softened
-
2
tablespoons
snipped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
-
2
tablespoons
butter or margarine
-
2
tablespoons
packed brown sugar
-
2
red and/or green pears, thinly sliced
-
2
tablespoons
finely shredded Parmesan cheese
Directions
- Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Return pasta to hot pan; cover to keep warm. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, turning once. Drain bacon on paper towels, reserving 3 tablespoons bacon drippings in skillet. Crumble and set aside. Reserve 3 tablespoons bacon drippings in skillet.
- Cook onion and garlic in bacon drippings over medium heat for 30 seconds. Stir in flour, dry mustard and pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly; reduce heat. Add smoked Gouda cheese and cream cheese; cook and stir until almost melted.
- Pour cheese sauce over the cooked pasta. Stir in oregano and all but 2 tablespoons of the crumbled bacon. Transfer mixture to an ungreased to 2-quart rectangular baking dish; cover with foil. Bake in a 350 degrees oven for 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt butter in a clean, large skillet. Stir in brown sugar; add pear slices. Cook, turning occasionally, until pears are tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Remove foil from the baking dish. Stir about half of the cooked, sliced pears into the macaroni and cheese. Spoon the remaining pear slices atop macaroni and cheese; sprinkle with Parmesan and reserved crumbled bacon. Return to oven and bake 5 minutes or until Parmesan has softened. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts
(Bacon-Pear Macaroni and Cheese)
Servings Per Recipe 6, Potassium (mg) 461, vit. C (mg) 4, calcium (mg) 404, Fat, total (g) 33, Thiamin (mg) 0, chol. (mg) 104, iron (mg) 2, Riboflavin (mg) 1, pro. (g) 22, sodium (mg) 649, Niacin (mg) 4, carb. (g) 52, Mark as Free Exchange () 0, Pyridoxine (Vit. B6) (mg) 0, sat. fat (g) 18, Folate (µg) 117, Cobalamin (Vit. B12) (µg) 1, Polyunsaturated fat (g) 2, Monosaturated fat (g) 9, sugar (g) 18, cal. (kcal) 586, fiber (g) 3, vit. A (IU) 972