Pancetta & Prosciutto Mac & Cheese{Southern Version}

I may have a slight addiction to bacon and ham, in any form. And two of my favorites are these lovely Italian styles. I sometimes buy them and just throw them in the saute pan with a little bourbon and apricot jelly and call it dinner. Obviously a lot of work goes into meals around here.

But seriously, pancetta wrapped pretzels, biscuits stuffed with goat cheese and prosciutto, brie with pancetta and prosciutto and maple pumpkin butter wrapped in puff pastry...the combinations are endless.

And since I am a proper Southern lady, I adore me some mac and cheese and decided to try out this combo of two of my favorite regional flavors.

and yes, it was a winner. And I will start this by saying, the first time I made it...I was somewhat ambivalent towards it. My hubs really liked it. So the second time I made it(which was what I will reference as "The Tuscan" version), I made changes that made me fall in love. And so I adapted it for the purpose of sharing with you guys.

1 pound pasta 

 8 oz shredded yellow cheddar(reserving a small handful)

8 oz white cheddar(reserving a small handful)

1/4 lb pancetta (thinly sliced)

1/4 lb prosciutto

1 cup heavy cream

salt/pepper to taste

 Chop the pancetta and prosciutto and saute until crispy, (I added a little olive oil and then patted them dry to remove any excess oil after cooking) set aside.Boil the pasta to al dente(if you overcook it will turn to mush in the baking process.) Drain and place in a separate bowl while you make the sauce. In the pan, on medium heat, heat the cream up, slowly adding the cheeses and diligently whisking to create a sauce. Once it has thickened up, add in the pasta, continuously stirring to coat. Toss in the pancetta and prosciutto, stirring to mix thoroughly. Place in a baking dish, top with the remaining cheeses and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350.

notes***This is the original one I made, and I didn't saute the meats, yeah...I don't recommend that. and the second time I used shell pasta, it just seems to hold the sauce better. In a few weeks I will share the Tuscan version, it was an accident, I actually hadn't set out to make it, Wiki came home with ingredients I normally wouldn't use and let's just say.."Happy Accident" 

And if you like this, you'd probably love my pancetta and prosciutto bourbon and goat cheese pizza, check it out here.

Linking up with

Ashley & Jessica
Not Just a Housewife
Wonderful Food Wednesday
The Weekly Creative

Panera Macaroni...Baked.

I am Southern. We bake our macaroni! haha I will admit I am getting on the "creamy" mac and cheese bandwagon just a little bit, but who says you can't have the best of both?! I made this for Befana(read about that here) 

We had a great weekend! Basically did a bunch of not a whole heck of anything. Getting to be my favorite kind of weekend! Started out on Friday by having dinner and a movie. The dinner was less than stellar, then the movie more than made up for it. Except for that one tiny moment when I got up to go to the bathroom and knocked my husbands root beer bottle onto the floor and it shattered...about 3 rows in all directions. Ooops...who did that?

We went to see Silver Linings Playbook and I can say that I probably had a different view of that movie than 75% of the people watching it. It revolves around a man who had been released from a mental hospital and diagnosed w/bipolar and trying to figure his way through and make the best out of it.(and sometimes being a slight punk) There were parts that were absolutely hysterical...and then there were the scenes that everyone was howling with laughter and I silently cried. Very close to home and not funny when they're struggles you know well (although, I have certainly never been violent or arrested, I'll just throw that out there;) But I loved the movie. It was...real and honest and almost as good as the book. If you get a chance, see it. 

Saturday it was 70' here and I went for a walk in my favorite park and then Saturday night we hit up a sushi place and watched the Ravens/Broncos game. Currrazzzyyy. Wiki got his fill of buy one/get one sushi and I had steak.  

oh, and I did indulge in a dark chocolate dunkachino. Yummmsss.

On Sunday I got to have lunch w/a favorite at this new Mexican place in Brier Creek. They had frozen margaritas and sangria. And then I remembered no alcohol for 2 more weeks and I got all kinds a sad. then I had their queso and I got over it;) 

and now...the recipe

I found panera's recipe on their website(ummmm, awesome) and then decided to twist it just a bit to make it my own.

1 pound penne(or any fork pasta)

8 oz shredded cheddar(set aside 2 oz)

8 oz shredded gouda (set aside 2 oz)

1 cup cream(I actually used half and half)

1/4 cup cream

1/2 tsp dijion mustard

splash hot sauce

2 tbsp butter

salt/pepper

cook macaroni to desired taste, strain. In pan, melt butter. Add 1/2 cup cream and whisk together  Once heated, slowly add in cheese and cream, whisking continually till all cheese is melted and you have a "sauce" add in the mustard and hot sauce. Whisk together and add pasta back in, careful to coat all pasta. Pour into a baking dish and top with remaining cheese and cream. Bake at 375' for 20 to 25 min.

and yes, I had the reaction of "there's mustard and hot sauce in their recipe?!" 

I have said many times that Wiki is one of those low carb people. He will "cheat" for occasions. He ate 3 servings of this and then declared "Ummm, hands down best macaroni you have ever made" I am still in the after glow of his adulation.

So you should probably make this...just saying.

Hope everyone enjoys their week!