All I want...

A few of my friends and I who live in the Valley/come to the Valley on Tuesdays for Softball, have started making dinner with each other once a week. Last week was the first weekly dinner with some delish Turkey Chili and Corn Bread made by Janet. This week was my time to host. As I get off work at 5 and the Softball game is at 6:30, I figured having something ready prior to me returning home from work would be the least stressy way to host. As I am on a Bacon Kick with weekend, I decided to make a comfort food  and then amp it up a little. Here is what I came up with:

Crockpot Cheesy Swine Pasta Florentine (if you say it like I do in my head, it totally rhymes)

Ingredients

3 cups uncooked pasta (about 12 oz) I went with Fusilli as I had it in the pantry

¼ cup butter or margarine, cut into pieces

1 can condensed Cheddar cheese soup

1 ½ cups half-and-half (or whole milk)

½ cup sour cream

3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

8 oz Velveeta, cut into cubes

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

½ cup chopped packaged precooked bacon (about 8 slices from 2.1-oz package) (unfortunatelty we ran out so instead we threw in some cut up hot dogs!)

1 onion, chopped and caramelized (precooked from the Danger Dog)

1 cup spinach, chopped

Method

Spray 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.

Cook and drain pasta as directed on package, using minimum cook time as the pasta will be cooking more in the slow cooker.

Place pasta in slow cooker; immediately add butter and stir until melted.

Add soup, half-and-half, sour cream, 2 1/2 cups of the Cheddar cheese, the cubed cheese, mustard, salt and pepper; stir to blend well.

Cover; cook on Low heat setting 2 to 3 hours, stirring once halfway through cooking time.

During last 15 minutes of cooking, stir in bacon, onion, and spinach. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese.

This was amazing.

I have created some decent dishes in my time, but this recipe is winning right now. Granted, add caramelized onion and bacon to most anything and it will taste amazing. There was none left (besides the spoonful I saved for myself for after Yoga class) after the dinner feeding 6. Make this. Love this. Or make your own favorite Mac and Cheese Recipe, then add caramelized onions, bacon, and spinach.

Your mind = Blown.


** Today's title is from Kurt Cobain, "All I want...is mac and cheese." Truer words have naught yet been uttered.**