Tag: macaroni and cheese

French Onion Mac and Cheese

Well Dined | French Onion Mac and Cheese

I know it’s way too hot out to be making this sort of thing, but I don’t care.  It is sooooooo good.  This is a French onion soup inspired macaroni and cheese with caramelized onions, boatloads of cheese, and a buttery breadcrumb topping with thyme.  Yum, yum, yum.  Oh yeah, and a little bit of white wine (shoutout to Broken Dreams – my fave white of the moment).  I made this with Melissa of Smells Like Brownies and it was one of those magical recipes that is so much fun to make and doesn’t stress you out during the process (though that may have been the wine taking effect…).

Well Dined | French Onion Mac and Cheese

Step one is to get the onions going, of course.  Can’t have French onion soup without onions!  Pop those bad boys into a heavy bottomed pan with olive oil, butter, and thyme.  Is there any better flavor combo than onions and thyme?  I like to start them at medium high heat, then reduce heat to medium low once they are translucent.

Well Dined | French Onion Mac and Cheese

After 15 minutes, they should look kind of like this.  Add a splash of white wine and a sprinkle of salt and keep cooking for another 15-20 minutes.  Remember to take out the thyme stems when they are done.

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Butternut Squash and Bacon Mac and Cheese

Well Dined | Butternut Squash and Bacon Mac and Cheese

I’m not really sure how to do food styling for mac and cheese – as you can tell from this photo.  Oh – a chunk or orange stuff, yum.  Well don’t let my bad photography fool you – this mac and cheese is the bomb.  It’s the ultimate comfort food, and I should know.

Well Dined
Look at that sweet face.

You see, I lost my cat last month to illness.  Other pet owners out there might understand this – he and his (adopted) brother were my first pets as an adult.  That is a whole different situation from childhood pets, or even pets you get later as a family.  I literally think of my boys as my children, so this was extremely difficult for me.  It was also very sudden.  Animals, as you may know, hide their sickness so that they won’t be perceived as weak.  Which means that by the time they start acting sick, it is often too late.  In our case, we took him in the same day he was acting weird and found out that night that there was nothing we could do.  He was gone the next day.

Well Dined | Butternut Squash and Bacon Mac and Cheese

The grief affected me like the flu – I had fever, chills, and nausea.  The only thing I could stand to eat was macaroni and cheese, and after a couple of days of my husband making me the boxed stuff, I finally started cooking again.  I made this butternut squash mac and cheese and lived off it for a week.  It was definitely very comforting.

Well Dined | Butternut Squash and Bacon Mac and Cheese

It’s ooey gooey with both cheddar and Gruyere, with a bit of caramelized onion, pops of salty bacon, and sweet butternut squash – partially mashed so that there is sweetness throughout, but also some chunks here and there.  I even splurged and used regular, white pasta so that I could get my favorite shape – gemelli.

Well Dined | Butternut Squash and Bacon Mac and Cheese

The top is sprinkled with more cheese and buttery breadcrumbs.  Perfection.  This is possibly the most delicious food ever.  So whether you are sad or you just like macaroni and cheese, go dive face first into a bowl of this stuff.  You won’t regret it. (more…)