Dressed - Up Bacon Mac And Cheese Recipe

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Butter a 2-quart shallow casserole dish.

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the macaroni until al dente, about 5 minutes.

Drain; transfer the pasta to the prepared casserole dish along with 1/4 cup of the cold milk.

(This will cool the pasta and prevent it from becoming gummy.)

Meanwhile, mix the cheeses together in a small bowl.

Beat the eggs with 1/4 cup of the milk in a medium bowl.

Add the scallions, bread and half of the cheese to the egg mixture; set aside.

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp; transfer to paper towels to drain.

Discard all but 2 tablespoons drippings from the pan.

Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until just brown, about 4 minutes.

Stir in the flour, cayenne pepper and 1 teaspoon salt; cook for 2 minutes.

Slowly add the remaining 1 3/4 cups milk and 3/4 cup water to the skillet.

Bring to a boil, whisking until thick.

Remove the sauce from the heat and whisk to cool slightly.

Whisk in the remaining cheese.

Add the sauce to the macaroni; stir to combine.

Crumble up the bacon and add it to the egg/bread mixture.

Spread evenly over the pasta.

Place the casserole dish on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Remove from the oven; let sit 5 minutes before serving. ~

Photograph by Tina Rupp