Chocolate-It's What's for Dinner

This is definitely a recipe for grown-ups - no kids allowed. This is not a recipe that a typical kid would like. This is a totally souped-upped version or bacon-upped depending on your perspective. Hmmm looks like regular Mac n Cheese... Smokey Mac n Cheese 1lb pasta (I used Campanelle) 4 oz thick cut bacon (preferably homemade*) 2 cloves garlic minced 1/4 c flour 1/2 c white wine 2 c skim milk 1/2 c heavy cream 1 t dry mustard 1 t ancho 1 t smokey paprika 4 oz Grueyre 4 oz cheddar cheese 1/4 c Parmesan cheese salt/pepper 3 tomatoes, cored and seeded 1/2 c panko 1T butter (perhaps additional depending on how fatty the bacon is and additional for greasing pan) Cook pasta in salted water for about 5 minutes. Pasta should be still pretty tough. Meanwhile cut bacon into small cubes. Saute in a saucepan until cooked - DO NOT drain fat. Add garlic and saute until fragrant. Add flour and stir to form a roux. This should be fairly loose but you want it to cook unti...

Sounds fancy huh? Don't tell anyone but it's really just soup with bread in it. But it is so much better than regular onion soup.  I've been making this since it first appeared in the NY Times in 2007 It is one of those warming, rib-sticking, comfort foods. What I really like about it is that you can do a lot of the prep ahead of time. I've made it for Easter Brunch a few times.  You can toast the baguette ahead of time and also make the caramelized onions ahead of time too. Grate the cheese and then you have most of the work done. Toast the bread under the broiler A lot of tears were created here-those onions were strong! Place the onions in a skillet. I think I used the wrong one this time.  I don't think I usually use Griselda* (my cast iron pan) because for a long while the onions just steamed instead of caramelizing. I think she was a tad too small. Eventually they got there.  I added about a tablespoon of sugar to help the caramelization alon...