Grown-up Kid Food

Grown Up Mac and Cheese
This is a recipe from the Neely's on Food Network.  I just love them!  
    Gina: Pat, can you give me a little sugar for these peaches?
    Pat:  Honey, I'll give you sugar any time you want it.
    Gina:  (giggling)  That's my man!

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The only ingredient change I've made is to substitute gouda cheese for the blue cheese, as it tends to aggravate my allergies.  But here is the original ingredient list:

4 ounces thick-sliced bacon
Olive oil
Kosher salt
2 cups favorite shaped pasta: elbow macaroni, cavatappi, conchiglie, lumaconi, etc.
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
3 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated
2 ounces blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch nutmeg
2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves

Instructions:
Cook the bacon until crisp but not overdone.  Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and crumble when it is cool enough to handle.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.
  

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt the butter in a medium pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or 2 more, until thickened and smooth.

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Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, blue cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and crumbled bacon and stir well.   Pour into 2 individual size gratin dishes, or as I have done, a 8x10 casserole dish.  Place the bread slices in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until you have coarse crumbs. Add the basil and pulse to combine. Sprinkle
the bread crumb mixture over the top of the pasta.

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Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in a preheated 400 degree oven, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

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Chicken Lollipops

Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
2 cups crushed potato chips
lollipop sticks from a craft or party store, or wooden skewers

Instructions:
1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a baking sheet or line with parchment paper.
2.     Crush potato chips onto a plate. In a large bowl, whisk together egg and milk. Dip the chicken cubes into the egg mixture, then coat well with potato chips. Spread the nuggets onto the baking sheet.
3.     Bake for 10 minutes. Turn nuggets over, and bake for 10 minutes more, until golden brown. Remove baking sheet from oven, and insert a lollipop stick into each nugget.