Ontario Winter months are definitely all about cozying up and enjoying comfort food.  It”s a lot of  hibernation for us with lots of hot drinks, soups and hearty meals. Mac and Cheese is a popular dish in this family and I am always finding creative ways to serve it. This recipe features Canadian Maple Syrup to caramelize onions and honey ham. With Ontario local onions in season, it’s a must try. Tossed with a creamy smoked cheddar and gruyere cheese sauce, it makes for an absolutely satisfying and delicious meal to warm you up.

Enjoy and keep warm everyone! xoxo

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Smoked Cheddar, Honey Ham, Caramelized Onion Mac & Cheese

Total Time1 hour hr

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Canadian

Materials

• 2 small sweet onions thinly sliced
• 4 tbsp maple syrup
• 454 g Casarecci or Penne Pasta
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3 cup whole milk or 2 %
• 1 tbsp yellow mustard
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 2 cup smoked cheddar grated
• 2 cup gruyere cheese grated
• 2 cup honey ham 1/2 inch diced
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter melted
• 1/3 cup seasoned panko bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup grated parmigiano reggiano cheese

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 F.
• In a medium saute pan, heat maple syrup over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 5-6 minutes until dark golden and soft. Reserve 3 tbsp of onions. Add in ham and sauté an additional 1-2 minutes until ham is warm. Remove heat and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, season with 1 tsp of salt and add pasta. Cook until al dente but still firm and drain.
• In a large 9 inch cast iron skillet or oven safe skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and continue whisking until mixture has turned light golden. Whisk in the milk and remove any lumps. Cook until slightly thicken, about 5 minutes. Add in mustard, thyme and salt and paper. Whisk until smooth and slightly thicken. Add grated cheeses and continue whisking until cheese has melted and mixture is creamy. Stir in onions and ham mixture. Add pasta to skillet and mix well to ensure pasta is well covered with cheese sauce.
• Toss breadcrumbs with melted butter. Drizzle reserved caramelized onions, breadcrumbs and parmigiano cheese evenly on top of pasta. Place in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until cheese is bubbling and tops are golden.
• I love a crispy dark golden top, so I placed the oven on broil for 1-2 minutes before done. Ensure you keep an eye on it so you don’t burn the topping.
• Serve hot!