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Buffalo Bacon Macaroni and Cheese

Buffalo Bacon Macaroni and Cheese

This is a cheesy, baked macaroni, sure to please even the pickiest macaroni and cheese eater. Just a few notes: If you are afraid that the buffalo flavor may be too much, start with 1/2 cup which will give you just a hint of the buffalo flavor. Be careful not to overcook the macaroni, as you want it do not want it to get mushy when baking it.
Course casserole
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 12 servings
Author Lane from With Two Spoons

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces elbow macaroni
  • 1 Tablespoon bacon fat or 1 additional Tablespoon of butter
  • 1/2 cup onion finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 7 Tablespoons butter divided
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 3/4 cup buffalo sauce I use Frank's Wing Sauce
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon dry ground mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1 pound sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • 6 slices cooked bacon chopped
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
  • green onions chopped, for garnish
  • additional bacon chopped, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
  2. In a large pot, boil water.
  3. As soon as water is boiling, add macaroni and cook until al dente-no more than 6 minutes.
  4. Drain macaroni and place into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
  5. In a large skillet, melt bacon fat (or butter) on medium high heat.
  6. Add onion and sauté for 1-2 minutes until translucent.
  7. Add garlic and sauté an additional 30 seconds.
  8. Add 4 tablespoons of butter to the skillet cook until melted.
  9. Whisk in flour to create a roux (paste).
  10. Add milk and buffalo sauce and continue to whisk while bringing to a boil.
  11. Continue to cook on high until slightly thickened, approximately 3-5 minutes.
  12. Stir in salt, pepper and mustard.
  13. Add shredded cheese and stir until cheese is entirely melted and sauce has become smooth.
  14. Stir in crumbled bacon.
  15. Pour melted cheese over the macaroni in the baking pan.
  16. Gently stir to coat macaroni.
  17. Sprinkle top of the macaroni with the blue cheese crumbles.
  18. In a small bowl, melt the remaining 3 Tablespoons of butter (I used the microwave for convenience).
  19. Mix the panko bread crumbs into the melted butter.
  20. Sprinkle over the macaroni to form a breadcrumb crust.
  21. Place into the preheated oven and bake until browned and bubbly, approximately 30-40 minutes.