bacon crusted mac 'n cheese

How To Make bacon crusted mac 'n cheese

• Step 1
  Fill a 3 qt. saucepan 2/3 full of water. Over high heat, bring to a boil. Salt the water if you wish. Add the elbow macaroni. Don't cook the pasta for the full amount of time. Reduce the cooking time by 2 minutes. When done, drain and set aside.
• Step 2
  In a medium saucepan, melt 2 T butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour, whisking together to make a roux. It should look like creamy peanut butter. Cook for 1-2 minutes, just to remove the floury taste. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking to incorporate.
• Step 3
  Add the cheeses, whisking to blend together. Add salt and pepper, stirring constantly, as the cheeses melt and the sauce thickens.
• Step 4
  Spray a 2 qt. casserole with non-stick cooking spray. Pour the cooked pasta into the casserole. Top it with the sauce. Stir to coat the pasta. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Step 5
  Bake the mac 'n cheese for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the topping. Topping: Crush the crackers. Crumble the cooked bacon. Melt the remaining 2 T of butter. Mix the crackers and bacon in a small bowl. Pour the melted butter over them and stir to coat. Sprinkle the topping over the mac n cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, til heated through.
• Step 6
  Notes: If you don't use a cooking spray, you can just lightly oil the casserole dish. It helps with the cleanup. I do salt my pasta water before I cook the pasta. I used 4 slices (3 inch x 3 inch) of the cheddar and Monterey jack (I diced them) to equal a 1/2 cup. You can bake the topping for the full hour if you prefer a crunchy topping. I wanted a softer crumb topping so I baked it for 30 minutes.
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