Chicken-Mac

I bought a pound of cheddar because it was under $3, and that's a really good price.  I rarely get packages over 8oz, so they don't spoil on me.  At some point, I realized it was actually a 2 lb block.  That's a very good price, but now I had two pounds of cheddar to use up.  Mac'n'cheese time.

Because I can't leave well enough alone, a simple macaroni and cheese dinner turned into a one-pot meal.  I had shredded chicken in the freezer, some bacon ends, and broccoli out of the garden.  I was going to add a cup of frozen peas, but it was already getting to be a very full meal.

It looked a lot nicer in my head than it did on the plate, but it tasted great.  Filling comfort food for a rainy winter day.

*2 slices thick-cut bacon
*1 C diced onion
1 tsp paprika
*2 Tb sherry or 1/4 C white wine, optional
2 Tb flour
1-1/2 C milk, or to desired consistency
*2 C shredded cheddar cheese
*1 lb cooked shredded or canned chicken
*2 C broccoli florets
1-1/2 C macaroni

1.  In a large pot, cook the bacon over medium-low until the fat renders and the meat is mostly cooked, about 30 minutes.  Remove bacon and chop into bite-sized pieces, then return to pan.

2.  Start boiling a pot of water for the pasta and broccoli.

3.  Add diced onion and cook in the bacon fat until softened, 5 minutes.  Raise heat to medium and add paprika and flour.  Stir until flour is cooked into a roux, several minutes.

4.  If pasta water is boiling, start cooking.  The rest of this is going to come together quickly.

5.  If using, add alcohol to onion pot and allow to cook down for a minute.  Start adding milk 1/4 C at a time, allowing it to thicken between additions.  Once all is incorporated, stir in chicken.  Around now, the pasta should be almost done, so add the broccoli to it for the last 2-3 minutes.

6.  Stir cheese into sauce mixture until melted.  Drain pasta/broccoli and add to the pot.  Stir everything together and add more milk if it seems too thick to spoon onto a plate.

7.  Serve hot, with extra cheese on top if desired.

Serves about 6

Difficulty rating  :)