Spicy Bacon Mac & Cheese

Friday, Friday! Yep it's that time of the week again. Work doesn't seem too bad, you are planning your weekend, and I am going to share a delicious recipe with you. This week I am going to talk about a dish I am going to try over the weekend. My friend Ram told me that one of his favorite foods is mac & cheese, and because he is a picky eater, I see this as a challenge to see if I can win his palette. I didn't want to just make a side dish of it, so I went for a main dish version which calls for bacon, mmmmm bacon, and some other exciting flavors. Let's see how we are going to make this bad boy.

What You Need:

• 3 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
• 1 pound bacon strips, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 1.5 cups 2% milk
• 1 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese
• 2 cups process cheese (Velveeta), cubed
• 1/2 cup shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• Dash hot pepper sauce
• 2 green onions, chopped 

 This Is How You Do It

• Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven or big pan, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a tongs, remove to paper towels; drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings. Saute jalapeno in reserved drippings. Add milk and cheeses to pot; cook and stir until blended. Stir in the onion powder, chili powder, salt, pepper and pepper sauce. Add the onions, cooked bacon and reserved pasta to pan; mix well.
• Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until heated through. 

Pretty easy huh? It will also leave you with plenty of leftovers. I have had something similar before but a few things are new to me. I think this will be a great version of a classic favorite. I will update on how it went! Have a great weekend everyone.