Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon Recipe

Chances are, you probably already have most of these ingredients lying around in your kitchen. That means you can make this recipe on a whim if you're in a pinch for an awesomely satisfying dinner, or need to bring something everyone will love to a party or event. Here's what you'll need:

• 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 8 oz sharp yellow cheddar, shredded
• 8-12 slices of Land O’ Lakes American Cheese
• 1 package of bacon
• 1 ½ cups whole milk
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1 pound box of medium pasta shells
• 6-10 Tablespoons of Panko breadcrumbs (optional)

Directions:

The beautiful thing about this dish is that it takes so little time to prepare, and that the ingredients are so simple. Pasta, cheese, and bacon is all you’ll need! Here are the easy directions for this dish:

1. Cook the bacon according to package directions. Keep in mind the bacon will be cooked additionally with the macaroni and cheese, so do not overcook.
2. Boil the pasta according to package directions. Strain and set aside.
3. Preheat an oven 400 degrees F. In a large saucepan, add the whole milk. Slowly add all of the cheddar, stirring to mix and melt over low heat. Do not use high heat or the milk will get scorched and curdled. Add the remainder of the cheese to the mix. Simmer until melted. Do not overcook.
4. Let bacon cool, then cut with kitchen shears into small pieces. In a large saucepan, add butter and the cooked pasta. Stir to coat the pasta. Add the cheese mixture and lightly stir.
5. In a large, shallow glass baking dish, add the macaroni and cheese mixture. Add the panko breadcrumbs, evenly distributing them over the top.
6. Bake on the top rack for approximately 25 minutes, or until lightly brown on top. 

This dish holds well all on its own, but variety is a nice thing. Try experimenting with different types of pasta, different brands, and additional ingredients like different cheeses, spices, and meats. 

• Use higher quality pasta for the best results. Cheap pasta will flake apart during the baking process, and is harder to cook al dente.
• Use higher quality cheese. Experiment with different brands, flavors, and sharpness.
• Shred your own cheese instead of using pre-shredded bagged cheese. These cheeses are often full of oils, so when reheated, will be very oily.
• Cut the bacon small. This dish tastes best with small pieces of bacon that are easy to grab with your fork.
• Use whole milk instead of skim. It makes for a creamier, more satisfying dish.
• To cut the fat, serve this as a side dish instead of the main entrée. Unfortunately there’s no good way to make baked macaroni and cheese with bacon lowfat.
• Healthy entrée compliments: baked cornflake chicken, lean cuts of steak, lean pork chops, or baked sliced ham.
• Do not add salt to this dish, the cheese will have plenty of salt already.