Baked Mac and Cheese

• servings: 4 servings
• active time: 15 minutes
• total time: 55 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 pound elbow macaroni (about 1 1/2 cups)

6 slices bacon

2 Tablespoon butter

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups milk

3/4 cup half and half (half milk, half cream)

1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoons dijon mustard

1 1/2 teaspoons chicken bouillon paste (, or bouillon powder)

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1/2 teaspoon salt (, or more to taste)

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (, or more to taste)

2 cups freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese*

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs (, or regular breadcrumbs)

1 Tablespoon butter (, melted)

1/2 Tablespoon olive oil

Directions

Boil pasta according to package instructions, just until al dente. Don’t overcook! Strain (don't rinse) and set aside.

Shred cheese and set aside to allow to come to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 8x8 baking dish.

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 and chop/crumble into pieces.

Make Cheese Sauce: Add 2 tablespoons butter to the pan and then whisk in flour. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and gradually whisk in milk. Add the cornstarch to the half and half and whisk until smooth. Gradually add it to skillet followed by mustard, chicken boullion, onion powder, garlic powder, parsley, salt and pepper. Cook sauce, stirring well, for a few more minutes, just until it begins to slightly thicken. Remove from heat and stir in shredded cheddar cheese. Taste and add additional seasonings, if needed.

Combine: Add bacon (reserve a handful to top at the end), and cooked pasta and toss to evenly coat in sauce. Pour mixture into 8x8’’ baking dish. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.

Breadcrumb topping: Add panko, melted butter and olive oil to a skillet (or the saucepan used to cook the pasta). Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the crumbs are golden brown. Evenly sprinkle over the mac cheese. Add remaining bacon crumbles on top.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until bubbly. Serve warm.

Nutrition

• Calories: 751 kcal
• Total Fat: 43 g
• Saturated Fat: 24 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
• Trans Fat: 0.3 g
• Cholesterol: 117 mg
• Sodium: 1284 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 61 g
• Dietary Fiber: 2 g
• Total Sugars: 9 g
• Protein: 31 g