Bacon and sharp cheddar macaroni and cheese

This new take on the same old mac and cheese is sure to become a family favorite in no time. How could anyone resist the savory combination of bacon, panko, red peppers, and two types of cheese? It's a simple, straightforward recipe that makes use of the same skillet to cook all of the different components, from the breadcrumbs to the veggies and cheese mixture, which helps to make cleanup a breeze. You can also make this into a BLT mac & cheese by sprinkling with diced fresh tomatoes and finely shredded romaine lettuce or baby arugula leaves. The added color and crunch, not to mention veggies, would be a welcome addition.

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Step 1

Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray.

Step 2

Cook pasta in a large pot of well salted boiling water according to package directions; drain.

Step 3

Meanwhile, cook breadcrumbs with ¼ of the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until crumbs are toasted, about 3 minutes. Remove to a cup and stir in ½ tsp Parmesan cheese; set aside.

Step 4

Put red pepper, onion and remaining bacon in same skillet; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes. Remove; set aside.

Step 5

Whisk milk and flour in same skillet over medium-high heat and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in cheddar cheese, salt, cayenne and remaining Parmesan cheese.

Step 6

Add cooked, drained pasta and vegetable mixture to skillet and toss. Transfer to prepared baking dish; sprinkle top evenly with bread crumbs.

Step 7

Bake until bubbly at edges, about 15 minutes; sprinkle with sliced scallions.

Step 8

Serving size: 1 1/4 c

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