I think if I used all cheese and butter, it would be too heavy for my taste. Some reviews said their mixture looked soupy, so I added 5 heaping Tbsp of flour and added a bay leave to this milk while it thickened. I took me about 20 minutes for all the flour and butter to melt in the milk, and if I had known it would take that long, I would have started it the same time I boiled water for the noodles. People were saying the prep time was a lot longer than listed, and for me it was because of the thickening of the milk. I omited the sour cream and cream cheese b/c I didn't have any I used 2 cups of grated Gouda and 2 cups of Cheddar instead of 4 cups each I sprinkled a generous amount of parmesan cheese on top.I only used 1 Tbsp of butter for the noodles I used 8 strips of turkey bacon and cooked the onions in the bacon fat without oil in a nonstick pan, and also double the panko per everyone's suggestions. I thought the flavors and the spices were great, but I made the following modifications to make it healthier without compromising too much of the flavor.
The orginial recipe looked too rich and heavy for my taste, so I took out a bunch of stuff to make it work as a side dish. I made a "healthier" version of this recipes for Thanksgiving and got great reviews.
Next time I make it I will be adding the caramelized onions because I think that added sweetness would be delicious! And, adding bacon to anything instantly makes it a crowd favorite! Don't get too scared by the number of ingredients and give this a try- you won't be disappointed :) With a few of those changes it should cut down your prep time. Then baked until golden brown and bubbling. Mixed that all together with the pasta, added the spices and the cheese. I didn't add any of the bread crumbs and I also didn't add the caramelized onions because I knew certain family members wouldn't like them because they (gasp) don't like onions! I basically followed the directions for the cream cheese, sour cream, egg mixture and then the roux. I also just used an assortment of shredded cheeses- sharp cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan and an Italian blend (it's what I had on hand). These are found in the salad dressing aisle (at leas that's where they are in Cub). The first thing I did was use real bacon bits instead of frying slices of bacon. Even with this changes this recipe was delicious and got rave reviews from my family at Thanksgiving. This recipe looks a little intimidating but there are a few shortcuts you can take to cut down on the prep time. Pepper Bacon is wonderful in this recipe. I chill it after baking, cut it into serving sized squares and pop it into individual freezer bags for a quick and easy treat.
Because the recipe takes awhile to make, I usually double the recipe, baking it in 2 9x13 inch pans plus an 8x8 inch pan. Like many reviewers, I doubled the topping. For the bacon, I put it into the freezer just long enough to firm it up then thinly sliced it before frying. I think the medium is best because it doesn't overpower the wonderful flavor of the asiago cheese. I've tried this with both medium and sharp cheddar cheese.
In place of the milk, I used non-fat canned milk for a nice, creamy taste and texture. When adding butter to the cooked pasta, I only used 2 tablespoons, instead of 4. This was THE BEST macaroni and cheese I've ever tasted! I cut back on the fat by draining and discarding the bacon grease, and using non-fat cream cheese and non-fat sour cream elsewhere in the recipe.