I am a homebody who loves travel. I like journeying to discover another culture, and submersing myself in it. But, I also like watching movies on my couch and eating this mac ‘n’cheese. But the great thing is, food is a major piece of a culture’s identity. For a promotion of an international foods festival, one photographer made a rendering of several country’s national flag with the food each country is commonly associated with.
For example, the one for Greece is made of feta cheese and Kalamata olives. The US is hot dogs! If I had to eat one of the flags it’d I think be France’s (for the blue cheese) or England’s (for the scone and jam). What a beautiful, artful, and innovative concept. See them all here.
WHITE CHEDDAR BACON & KALE MAC
Serves 3-4
1 pound pasta, cooked al dente
1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 tablespoons butter
1 red onion, sliced
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
8 ounces white cheddar, shredded
1/4 cup parmesan, shredded
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flake
1 bunch kale, de-stemed and sliced
3/4 cup panko
Salt & pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add red onion and cook for 3-5 minutes. Add flour, milk, cheddar, and parmesan to skillet. Stir together as cheeses melt. Once cheese is melted, season with nutmeg, red pepper flake, and salt & pepper.
Add cooked pasta, crumbled bacon, and kale to sauce. Continue to cook until kale is wilted.
Transfer to a greased 9×13 baking dish. Pour pasta mixture into pan.
Top with panko. Bake 25-30 minutes, until outside is crispy.
- 1 pound pasta, cooked al dente
- 1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk
- 8 ounces white cheddar, shredded
- ¼ cup parmesan, shredded
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flake
- 1 bunch kale, de-stemed and sliced
- ¾ cup panko
- Salt & pepper
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add red onion and cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Add flour, milk, cheddar, and parmesan to skillet. Stir together as cheeses melt.
- Once cheese is melted, season with nutmeg, red pepper flake, and salt & pepper.
- Add cooked pasta, crumbled bacon, and kale to sauce. Continue to cook until kale is wilted.
- Transfer to a greased 9x13 baking dish. Pour pasta mixture into pan.
- Top with panko.
- Bake 25-30 minutes, until outside is crispy.
Adapted from Good Life Eats.