Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese

• Meat

  • 5 strips Bacon, thick cut

• Produce

  • 1 Jalapeno, large

• Pasta & Grains

  • 3/4 lb Cavatappi pasta

• Baking & Spices

  • 3 tbsp Flour
  • 1 Salt and pepper

• Bread & Baked Goods

  • 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs

• Dairy

  • 4 tbsp Butter, unsalted
  • 2 1/4 cups Milk
  • 1/4 cup Whipped cream cheese
  • 2 cups White cheddar cheese

Found on lifeasastrawberry.com

Description

Ingredients

• 1 large jalapeno, sliced
• 5 strips thick-cut bacon
• ¾ lb. cavatappi pasta
• 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 3 Tbsp. flour
• 2.25 cups milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• ¼ cup whipped cream cheese
• 2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• ½ cup panko bread crumbs

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Set aside about half of your jalapeño slices to use as a garnish on the finished mac and cheese. Dice up the remaining jalapeño slices and set aside. Youll need 1 heaping tablespoon of diced jalapeño for the cheese sauce (use more or less depending on your spice preferences).
• Cook bacon in the oven or on the stovetop until crispy. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate and let cool, then dice into bacon-bit-sized pieces. Set aside.
• Cook pasta in very salty water until 2 minutes less than al dente. Drain and set aside.
• Return pasta pot to stove and melt butter over medium heat.
• Add 1 heaping tablespoon of the diced jalapeño to butter and sauté for 30 seconds, just until jalapeño begins to soften.
• Add flour to butter and whisk to form a roux. Cook for another 30 seconds.
• Slowly add milk to roux, whisking constantly to work out any lumps. Cook, whisking occasionally, until sauce has thickened, about 5-7 minutes.
• Whisk in salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.
• Add cream cheese to sauce and whisk until cream cheese has melted and sauce is smooth.
• Remove pot from heat and stir in shredded white cheddar cheese.
• Reserve about ⅕ of your bacon pieces for garnish. Stir the remaining bacon into cheese sauce.
• Add cooked pasta to sauce and stir to combine.
• Divide mac and cheese into individual baking dishes (this is what I did) or put it all in one large casserole dish. Set aside while you toast the bread crumbs.
• Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat.
• Add bread crumbs and stir to coat with the melted butter. Toast, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes until breadcrumbs have just barely started to brown. Remove from heat.
• Spread bread crumbs over mac and cheese in an even layer, then bake at 375 degrees F for 10-15 minutes until bread crumbs have browned up a bit more and pasta has just started to crisp up around the edges.
• Top mac and cheese with reserved bacon and jalapeño and serve immediately.