Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Turkey Bacon and Spinach

1 13.25 oz box elbow pasta
1 large egg
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
2 cups half and half
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic power
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 cup cheddar, diced or shredded
1/4 cup swiss, diced or shredded
1/4 cup havarti, diced or shredded
1/4 cup smoked gouda, diced or shredded
5 slices of Turkey bacon, diced.
1 cup frozen spinach, squeezed
cooking spray
1/4 shredded cheese.

Step 1

Preheat Oven 350. Boil Pasta in accordance with the package instructions. Drain and place it in a large bowl and cover. Beat the egg in a small bowl and reserve. Dry the pot used for the pasta, and place it over medium heat. Add the butter to the pot and melt. Once melted whisk or stir in the flour.  Continue whisking or stirring for 2 minutes. This is to cook out the rawness of the flour.  After two minutes, little by little, slowly whisk or stir in the half and half. Continue to whisk or stir constantly.  DO NOT allow the sauce to come to a boil. This sauce is commonly called a white sauce, but it's name is really a béchamel sauce.

Step 2

Stir in the next four ingredients. Once the seasonings are well combined, stir some of the sauce into the bowl with the egg a little at a time. The goal is to slowly raise the temperature of the egg so that it can be added to the sauce without scrabbling. This process is called tempering the eggs.  Add the egg sauce mixture to the large pot and combine well.




Step 3

Add the cheese to the sauce a cup at a time. Stir continuously until all the cheese is melted evenly.  Once the cheese is melted add the bacon, the spinach, and the pasta to the large pot and combine well. Apply cooking spray to a 11 x 13 pan. Pour the mixture into the pan.  Shake the pan to ensure even distribution and then sprinkle cheese on top. Bake for 45 minutes uncovered.

Beef Back Ribs

First, I must apologize for the two month hiatus. Normally August and September are extremely busy times of the year.  Thank you for your patience.

I was an adult before I ever had Beef Back Ribs. I was at a restaurant called Hill Country in Washington, DC.  They were different than the pork ribs I grew up eating.  They are not as meaty as pork spare ribs, but the flavor is bolder and richer just like their related cuts: Short Ribs, Rib Eye Roast and Rib Eye Steaks, and Prime Rib. This preparation begins with a rub with chili pepper and cumin, brown sugar and salt. Are they as good as Texas BBQ?  You can be the judge, but they are darn close for this Mid-Atlanticer. The production here was scaled down to only one 1 slab, just incase it didn't go well. Let's just say, I wish I'd prepared more.

Ingredients:

Rub:

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 tablespoon garlic power
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Chipotle pepper or 1/16 teaspoon smoked paprika

Wood:
1 cup hickory wood chips

Meat:
1 3-pound slab beef back ribs


Step 1:

Mix the rub together, and rub the ribs. Place them in a zip top bag and refrigerate for 4 hours at a minimum.






Step 2:

Soak the wood chips for 30-45 minutes prior to smoking.  Add the ribs to the smoker and smoke for 6 to 8 hours at 180 to 200 degrees F.






Step 3

Retrieve the ribs from the smoker. Allow them to rest for ten minutes, and then eat.