When the leaves start to change colors and the evenings dip just a bit cooler there is nothing better than comfort food recipes to warm you up. It’s just barely starting to cool off here in Colorado. Usually by this time of year we’ve seen some snow but so far this fall the streets have been dry and the warm weather has given us time to enjoy the changing of the leaves.
I needed a bit of comfort food this week to help me feel more like the season has actually changed and we aren’t enjoying some slightly extended summer. This macaroni and cheese recipe pulls together some of my favorite fall flavors with the creamy & sharp Farmhouse Cheddar Cheese from Hickory Farms.
Apple Cheddar Mac and Cheese
Start out by grating up 2 1/2 cups of cheese. This is about 3/4 of a 10 oz package. Set the cheese aside and dice up a green apple and mince a clove of garlic. Start the macaroni boiling in a pot and cook 4 strips of bacon in a frying pan. Drain the macaroni and set the bacon aside to drain while you work on the rest of the recipe.
Saute 2 tps butter with the apples and garlic in a large sauce pan. Allow the pan to cook until the apples are soft and the garlic is fragrant.
Add your 2 cups of the pre-grated cheddar cheese to the pan alongside 1 1/2 cups of milk. Stir until the cheese has melted. You should have an almost soupy consistency. This means it’s time to add the macaroni. Turn the heat down and allow the dish to thicken. Now is the time to add the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and the crumbled or chopped bacon (save some for garnish).
Once the mixture is a perfect mac & cheese consistency, serve in a bowl. I’m a big fan of serving mac & cheese as a standalone entree but this would also work well as a side. Store any left overs in a baking dish and toss in the oven to reheat!
[tasty-recipe id=”2565″]Disclaimer: This post was brought to you by Hickory Farms. All opinions, ideas and writing are my own. I was compensated and received a product sample as inspiration for this post.
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