Crispy Deep Fried Bacon-Mac-n-Cheese Balls

(One of the most Guilt inducing appetizers in existence. We can lose weight next year.)
**Easy Difficulty**
Serves a lot of people if everyone has only one. Haha. Only one… yeah right.

1 lbs Elbow Macaroni
12 oz Bacon (Approx 1 package)
5 Tbsp All Purpose Flour
1 cup Cornstarch (Approx)
5 Tbsp butter
2 cups Heavy Cream
2 cups Whole Milk
8 oz Swiss Cheese, grated
8 oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated
3 cups Panko (Approx)
2 large Eggs (Approx), beaten
Minced Parsley and grated Parmesan Cheese as Garnish

1) In a pan, cook bacon until crisp and crunchy. Set aside to cool and drain on a wire rack or on a few paper towels. When cool, chop bacon into bits and set aside.

2) Boil Macaroni in a large pot of water that has been well salted according to the Box’s instructions. Approx 6 to 8 min. Drain and set aside.

3) Reusing the same large pot on medium heat, melt the butter and add in flour while stirring to make a roux. Toast the roux lightly and then add in Cream and Milk. Bring to a boil and whisk to break up the roux.

4) Bring down to a simmer and whisk occasionally until the sauce thickens. Approx 6 min. Remove from heat and add in Swiss and Sharp Cheddar while stirring to completely melt the cheeses. Add in drained Macaroni and Bacon and mix until well incorporated. Refrigerate until cold. Best to leave them over night.

5) When Bacon-Mac-n-Cheese is cold and dense like clay, roll all the Mac-n-Cheese into little balls and set on a cold tray. Place tray back into the fridge to stiffen for an hour.

6) When the Mac-n-Cheese balls are ready, set up a 3 step breading line with three large bowls. The first bowl is filled with the cornstarch, the second with Eggs, and the last with Panko. Coat each ball in cornstarch first, then Egg, then roll them in Panko before setting them on a tray. Repeat until all the Mac-n-Cheese balls are done, then place tray back into the fridge to stiffen again. You can leave them in the fridge over night again if you like.

7) When ready to fry, heat a pot of oil or a deep fryer on medium-high, and carefully place a few Mac-n-Cheese Balls into the frying oil. Fry until golden (10 to 20 sec approx) and place on a wire rack or a plate covered in paper towels to drain. Repeat with all the Balls.

8) Place the Bacon-Mac-n-Cheese Balls on a plate, and garnish with grated Parmesan and minced Parsley. Serve with Ranch or Marinara sauce, and enjoy this guilty pleasure!


Extra Info: This recipe has a lot of steps! And, it takes a while to actually prepare, so doing the bulk of the prep the night before is a good idea. I actually made this recipe as a way to get rid of leftovers from Thanksgiving. I made my Bacon-Mac-n-Cheese for my family, but with so much food everywhere, there was a good portion of the Mac-n-Cheese leftover. I hate throwing away food. If you’re on a budget, this is a great way to use up your leftovers so this way you’re not throwing your cash down the trash.

Do be careful though when frying. If the balls aren't pressed tightly, they can open up and send liquid right into your hot oil. Very dangerous. You want a good heat for frying that doesn't burn the Panko, yet browns it quick enough not to disturb the cheese inside. A lot of the yummy gooey-ness of the Bacon-Mac-n-Cheese Balls comes from "carry-over-cooking" and not from the actual frying.

You can easily use a different combination of Cheeses. Pepper Jack Cheese, Mozzarella, Parmesan. They’re all good. You can even make it spicy with some minced Jalapenos mixed in with the roux. For the bacon I use a nice thick cut so it comes out more red, and has a nicer crunch and texture.

It’s a great appetizer and party food, and it’s even better with a nice cold Beer or a Long Island Iced Tea. Happy Eating!

Extra Photo:
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/9362014/