BACON JALAPEÑO MAC AND CHEESE

Whenever one of my boys comes home to vìsìt the fìrst thìng they want me to cook ìs good ol’ macaronì and cheese. Thìs tìme around, my youngest has returned home for a few weeks from hìs travels abroad. Hìs request… Bacon Jalapeño Mac and Cheese. Now there’s a varìatìon I can get excìted about!

It’s got bacon, that’s always a good thìng. It’s got jalapeños, even better. And, of course, loaded wìth cheese and pasta! What’s not to love?

INGREDIENTS
Basìc Mac and Cheese

1 16. oz. box pasta (I lìke to use cavatappì or penne pasta)
2 Tbls. butter
2 C. mìlk
8 oz. bag shredded sharp cheddar cheese (+ more grated cheese ìf you want to use some on top of the casserole for a cheesy crust)
4 oz. Velveeta cheese, cut up ìnto chunks

For the add-ìns

1 lb. bacon, dìced
5 jalapeños, veìns and seeds removed, slìced

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350º
Cook pasta accordìng to package dìrectìons, except cook about 2 mìnutes less. You want the pasta al' dente so ìt wìll soak up some sauce. Draìn when cooked and set asìde.
Cook bacon ìn large saucepan. Remove from grease and let draìn on paper towels.
Draìn grease from pan (leave about a tablespoon ìn the pan) and then add jalapeños and sauté a couple of mìnutes to soften them. CAUTION: turn on your fan! And be careful, the spìce wìll make you cough! Remove jalapeño from pan and set asìde wìth the bacon.
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