Menu Plan and My Shrimp Mac-n-Cheese with Bacon Recipe

Now that "Hopey and Little Bit's week-of-fun" (a-la Joey and Janice's day of fun, from Friends, see video clip below) has concluded, I'm working on getting back on track. Doesn't it seem that I'm ALWAYS getting back on track. Is it just me?
Anyway, a whole week with a 10-year-old made for some strange eating habits. Granted we didn't stray TOO far off track from our normal diet, but there was more fried food, eating out, and meat involved than usual. Let me admit that on her first night she came up with a fabulous concoction that I readily made for all of us. It was a shrimp mac-n-cheese with bacon sprinkled on top. Oh lawdy, it was tasty! I've shared the recipe below (unfortunately I didn't get a picture of it before we were gobbling it up.)

For now, I'm focusing on a healthier meal plan for the week.

Breakfasts: Peanut butter toast w/fruit, Juice, French toast w/fruit, Hashbrown baskets w/fruit, Breakfast quesidillas

Pioneer Woman's Breakfast Quesidillas

Lunch options: Tuna noodles w/fruit, Soup w/grilled cheese, Hummus pita w/veggies, Mexican pizza, PB&J w/string cheese & fruit, Pita pizzas, Snack lunch (crackers, cheese, fruit, veggies), Leftovers

Honey, What's Cooking's Mexican Tortilla Pizza

Dinners:

Creamy curried cauliflower soup w/sourdough bread

Chipotle bean burritos w/corn & salsa

Lazy girl quiche w/salad

Sweet & spicy shrimp with rice noodles

Pasta with roasted tomatoes, white beans, and herbs w/salad

At least that's the plan. You can see more Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Now for that recipe I mentioned at the top. Here's what I did.

Shrimp Mac-n-cheese with Bacon

Ingredients:

4 slices of think sliced bacon

1 pound of shrimp (de-veined and de-headed, uncooked)

1 box corkscrew noodles

1/4 C butter

1/4 C all purpose flour

2 C half and half

1/2 C almond milk (unsweetened, no flavor)

1 egg

2 C grated cheese (we used a combination of sharp cheddar and monterey jack)

Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, granulated garlic, & dry mustard (to taste )

1. Boil pasta just over HALF the time recommended on the package, drain, set aside.

2. Peel the shrimp and cut each shrimp into about three pieces.

3. Cook bacon until crispy then set it aside on paper towels to drain. 

4. Pour out about half of the bacon grease into an acceptable receptacle. (As a proper Southern girl, it goes into a jar in the fridge for cooking with later.)

5. Add shrimp to pan with remaining bacon grease and cook until done. (3-5 minutes)

6. Using a soup pot (I use the same pot that I boiled the pasta in), melt butter over medium heat.

7. Whisk flour into butter until creamy for about 1 minute (don't let the mixture get too dark)

8. SLOWLY whisk in the milk/half and half so that no lumps form. Turn down stove to  low-med and cook for about 5 minutes until creamy, stirring/whisking often.

9. Beat your egg in a small bowl and slowly add about 1/4 of the flour/milk mixture into the small bowl whisking it in until fully combined. Pour the egg mixture into the pot and stir well.

10. Add your seasonings to taste.

11. Turn off the pot, add the grated cheese, and stir until all cheese has melted.

12. Add pasta and shrimp to pot. Stir well.

13. Pour contents from pot into a greased baking dish and crumble bacon over the top of it.

14. Bake for 20 minutes on 350 degrees.

I hope you enjoy this as much as we did. Little Bit and I even ate the leftovers the next day for dinner it was so good!

While I've got you here, check out some of the newest pieces in my shop.

New Life Necklace

Juicy Earrings

Music Necklace

Here's hoping this Monday involves you getting back on track too. . .or at least having a good time being off-track!