B.L.T Mac 'N' Cheese

I love making homemade macaroni and cheese. You can do so much with it! I mix up the cheeses, add in bacon and other ingredients and it makes it really fun. This one is my BLT version. BLT stands for Bacon (you can't have mac n cheese with out it!), spinach Leaves and Tomatoes. If you don't like spinach, you could also try this with arugula, which has a pepper-y taste to it. Here's the recipe:

-3 TBS butter
-about 2 TBS flour
-1 1/2 cups of warmed milk
-5 slices of bacon, chopped
-1/2 of a large onion, chopped
-2 handfuls of baby spinach
-2 handfuls of cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
-about 1/4 tsp of nutmeg (just eyeball it)
-Salt and pepper to taste
-1/2 lb of short cut pasta (I use a pasta with lines, it holds the sauce better)
-about 3 cups of shredded extra sharp cheddar (you need one cheese with a strong flavor, so I always use this. You can't usually find this already shredded, so there is an extra step, but it's worth it.)
-about 1 to 2 cups of another cheese of your choice (this time I used a gouda. You can use this or a smoked gouda, which would enhance the smokey-ness of the bacon or pepperjack if you like things a little spicy. The second cheese can be a little more subtle. Play around with different cheeses and see what you like best!)

In a large stock pot, bring water to a boil to cook the pasta. Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan, over medium heat, cook the bacon and onions. When the bacon is crisp and the onions are tender, remove them from the pan and place on a plate lined with paper towel to absorb excess grease. Drain the excess bacon grease from the pan and wipe the pan with a paper towel. You can now drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook 8-10 minutes or until your level of doneness. Add butter to the saute pan and melt. Once melted, add the flour and whisk until combined. Cook the flour for a minute, then slowly add the warmed milk, whisking continuously. Let the milk thicken for a few minutes, then add a heavy pinch of salt, some pepper and the nutmeg. Whisk to combine. (This sauce at this state is called a bechamel sauce, aka cream sauce.) You want it to be thick, but not goopy. It should be smooth and coat the back of a spoon. At this point, lower the heat to medium-low and start adding small amounts of cheese. Using a wooden spoon, stir in a figure 8 form. (Don't ask me why it's important to stir this way, it just works best. Ha, ha!) Keep adding the cheese in small amounts until it's all added. Once it's all added, wilt in the spinach, stir in the bacon, onions and tomatoes. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Pour the cheese sauce over the noodles and stir to combine. If you'd like you can garnish with some parsley.

This is the basic recipe, but you can definitely play around with the flavors. You could add some smoked paprika into the cheese sauce for a smoky flavor which would compliment the smokey-ness of the bacon. This cheese sauce can also be used to make scalloped potatoes! Really, the possibilities are endless. :) I'd love to hear any versions of macaroni and cheese that you come up with!