Crab and Bacon Mac and Cheese

Submitted by: Mary Director

Ingredients

3 slices bacon, chopped

¼ cup diced onion

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups milk

8 oz cream cheese, cubed

2 cups shredded Gouda

1 cup shredded Guyere

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

pepper

1 8 oz container lump crab meat

1 lb Cavatappi pasta

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup Panko breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Directions

Crab and Bacon Mac and cheese! All done in the Ninja … 1. Cooked the pasta and set it aside. 2. Cooked bacon & onion & crab, set it aside. 3. Made milk & cheese mixture in the ninja then afterwards added in the pasta and the crab/onion/bacon.

The pasta I made required 11 minutes of cooking time according to the box. So I put in the pasta (1 lb) in the main cooking pot and added in 3 1/2 cups of water, 2 tablespoons of butter, stirred and then covered. Ninja was set for OVEN 250 for 20 to 22 minutes. When completed, there was absolutely no water to drain. Quick and easy.

Prepped, cooked, and baked all aspects of this recipe in the Ninja. Was amazed at how easy the main cooking pan was to clean even after having the entree baked in it. No scrubbing at all. Hal really liked the recipe. I think it is too rich for me. I did substitute the cheeses in the recipes (almost $20 worth) for a Mac & Cheese Shredded blend I found at the store ($7 on sale for 2 packages). You don’t need the Panko at all. Bottom and sides brown and get crispy. I think I would turn the oven down to 350°. I got the recipe from here:

http://www.lemonsforlulu.com/2013/02/12/crab-and-bacon-mac-and-cheese/

Original Instructions

1. In a large skillet, brown bacon. Remove, add onion to grease and cook until soft. Pick through crab

meat removing any shells and add to onion. Saute crab and onions until heated through. Remove

from heat. and set aside.

2. Prepare pasta according to package directions, seasoning pasta with salt.

3. In a large saucepan, melt butter. Add flour with a whisk and cook for one minute. Slowly add milk,

whisking until smooth. Let milk come to a slow bubble, then add cubed cream cheese and stir until

melted and mixture is creamy and smooth. Add shredded cheeses and continue to stir. Add Dijon

mustard and pepper.

4. When pasta is ready, drain and add to cheese mixture. Stir in crab and bacon. Pour mixture into a

greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes or until bubbly.