One of the best readily-available assets a cook has is Food Network. Recently, we’ve been given another great asset as well, The Cooking Channel. I can’t imagine NOT taking advantage of all the outstanding shows on these channels. Like everyone, I have my own favorites (anything with Alton Brown, Guy Fieri, Sunny Anderson, Tyler Florence, Emeril, Rachael, and/or Paula is instantly counted amongst my favorites). Not only are these shows as entertaining as anything you’ll find on television, you get more ideas than you could possibly have time to address!
Some of my favorite, most often-used recipes were ones I originally saw on the Food Network. Some stay exactly as they were presented by the chef, while others change to suit our own personal tastes. The recipes can be found in all their glory online, and you’ll often even get a video to boot.
What a lot of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives fans (of whom I’m chief) don’t realize is that the recipes from these shows are also online. I’ve personally tried over 10 of them! I’m so hooked on the show I’d watch it with or without the recipes, but the fact that they’re readily accessible makes me all kinds of happy.
The most recent recipe I tried was from the episode titled Burgers, Steaks, and Chops. When I saw this Mac N Cheese being assembles, I knew the scene would be playing out in my kitchen withing a matter of days. The episode also featured a burger I’ll be taking for a spin this week: The Kevin Garnett Burger (click the link for the recipe). Sounds so good.
The Mac N Cheese with Pancetta recipe I made was slightly altered. My store had zero pancetta… zip, zero, nada. So I substituted high-quality, thick-sliced bacon. This is an extraordinary macaroni and cheese recipe – very, very cheesy and delicious. Using ziti instead of traditional elbow macaroni gave it an extra dash of personality. Trust me, this is amazing.
Recipe for Paul’s Crafty Mac N Cheese with Pancetta, as Seen on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives
1-1/2 pounds ziti pasta
1/2 pound pancetta, chopped
1-1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack (plus extra for topping)
1-1/2 cups grated Asiago (plus extra for topping)
1-1/2 cups grated Cheddar (plus extra for topping)
1-1/2 cups grated Provolone (plus extra for topping)
1-1/2 cups grated Parmesan (plus extra for topping)
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook ziti until al dente. Strain and rinse in cool water. In a saute pan over medium-high heat, cook pancetta until it is crispy and the fat has rendered. In the same pan, add all of the cheeses and the cream and whisk until blended. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Slowly add the cooked ziti to the cheese mixture, stirring gently. Transfer the ziti and cheese mixture to a large baking dish or cast iron skillet. Top off with more cheese and bake for 24 to 30 minutes.
This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.
The next time you watch Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives and see a recipe that looks delicious, check for it on Food Network.com.
