Mac And Cheese And Peas Recipes

MAC AND CHEESE AND PEAS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season generously with salt. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. When you have 1 minute of cook time left, pour in the frozen peas. Drain and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a large high-sided 10-inch saute pan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk. Reduce to low heat, bring to a simmer and cook until it becomes a thin gravy, about 5 minutes. Add the cream cheese and break up until smooth. Add the white pepper and ground mustard. Remove from the heat, add the bourbon if using and whisk to combine until fully incorporated. Stir in the Cheddar and American cheeses and cook until all the cheese is melted, 2 to 4 minutes. Taste and add salt as needed.
• Add the cooked pasta and peas to the cheese sauce and stir to thoroughly combine. Taste again and salt and pepper as needed before serving.

MAC AND CHEESE WITH PEAS AND BACON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boil on the stove top. Cook macaroni until al dente, following package directions.
• While the pasta cooks, melt butter in large microwavable mixing bowl. When pasta is done, drain and pour into the bowl, mixing to coat with butter.
• Stir in heavy cream and cheeses. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to taste. (I used about 6 turns of the pepper mill, 6 shakes of Italian seasoning, and just a pinch of salt.) Stir thoroughly. Add frozen peas and stir again.
• In frying pan over low to medium heat, cook two pieces of bacon. As the bacon gets close to being crisped, add the garlic cloves and cook until they are clear. Drain bacon and garlic on paper towels.
• Pour the macaroni mixture into an 8x8 baking pan. Break the bacon into bits. Sprinkle the bacon and garlic over the top of the macaroni mixture.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is crispy.

MAC AND CHEESE WITH ASPARAGUS AND PEAS

Steps:

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the bacon in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring, until crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Add the scallions to the Dutch oven (reserve 1 tablespoon of the dark scallion greens for topping). Cook over medium heat until softened, about 1 minute. Add the flour and whisk until toasted, 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk. Whisk in the mustard powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, until the sauce is thickened and smooth, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook as the label directs for al dente, adding the asparagus to the pot in the last minute of cooking. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking water.
• Whisk the cream cheese into the sauce until smooth. Reduce the heat to low and add the Parmesan and Jack cheese, a little at a time, until fully melted. Remove from the heat if the pasta is not done yet.
• Stir the pasta, asparagus and peas into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Thin with the reserved cooking water, if needed (the sauce will thicken as it sits). Divide among bowls. Top with the bacon and reserved scallion greens.