Gourmet Baked Mac and Cheese with Bacon

Ingredients

• Elbow Macaroni Pasta

  Great Value

  16 oz or 454g

• Bacon

  Raw, cured pork

  6 strip or 72g

• Butter

  Unsalted

  1 tbsp or 14g

• Wheat flour

  White, all-purpose, unenriched

  2 tbsp or 16g

• Lowfat milk

  Fluid, 1% milkfat, with added vitamin a and vitamin d

  1 ½ cup or 366g

• Half and half cream

  Fluid

  ¾ cup or 182g

• Cornstarch

  1 ½ tsp or 4g

• Dijon mustard

  Grey poupon

  1 ½ tsp or 8g

• Chicken

  White, Homestyle, Oven Roasted - Oscar Mayer

  150g

• Onion powder

  Spices

  ½ tsp or 1g

• Garlic powder

  Spices

  ½ tsp or 2g

• Parsley

  Spices, dried

  ½ tsp or 0.3g

• Salt

  Table

  1 dash or 0.4g

• Pepper

  Spices, black

  1 dash or 0.1g

• Cheddar cheese

  2 cup, melted or 488g

• Parmesan cheese

  Low sodium

  ½ cup, grated or 50g

• Bread crumbs

  Dry, grated, plain

  ½ cup or 54g

• Butter

  Unsalted

  1 tbsp or 14g

• Olive oil

  Salad or cooking

  ½ tbsp or 7g

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions, just until al dente. Don't overcook! Strain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 8x8 baking dish.
3. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy, about 5-7 minutes. Remove bacon to a plate lined with paper towels. Remove some, but not all of the grease from the pan.
4. Add 1 tablespoons butter to the pan and then whisk in flour. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and gradually whisk in milk.
5. Add the cornstarch to the half and half and whisk until smooth. Gradually add it to skillet followed by mustard, chicken bullion, onion powder, garlic, powder, parsley, salt and pepper.
6. Cook sauce for a few more minutes, just until it begins to slightly thicken. Remove from heat and stir in shredded cheddar cheese.
7. Crumble/chop the bacon and add most of it to the pan, reserving a little for topping later. Add cooked pasta and toss to evenly combine.
8. Pour mixture into 8x8'' baking dish. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.
9. Add panko, melted butter and olive oil to a skillet (or, I use the pan the pasta was cooked in, just to use less dishes). Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until crumbs are golden brown.
10. Evenly sprinkle them over mac cheese. Add remaining bacon crumbles on top.
11. Bake 15-20 minutes or until bubbly. Serve warm.
12. Recipe by: Lauren Allen (source: https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/gourmet-baked-mac-cheese-bacon/)

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