4 Cheese with Bacon Mac

Ingredients:

• 1 box (1lb) cavatappi or macaroni
• 6 slices bacon, diced
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups 2% milk
• 1/2 teaspoon onion flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 pound sharp cheddar cheese shredded
• 1 cup shredded colby jack cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 8 slices American Cheese

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350
• Coat a 3 quart broiler safe baking dish with nonstick spray
• Cook your pasta and drain
• Cook bacon in a medium saucepan until crisp
• Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain
• Pour off all drippings except 2 tablespoons
• Add butter to bacon drippings
• Whisk in flour until smooth
• In a thin stream whisk in milk
• Stir in onion flakes, salt and pepper
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat then reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes
• In a large bowl toss together cheddar, colby jack, mozzarella
• Remove milk mixture from heat, whisk in American cheese and 1 1/4 cup of cheese mixture
• Toss bacon in with remaining cheese mixture
• In pasta pot combine cooked pasta and cheese sauce
• Pour half into prepared dish
• Sprinkle with a generous cup of cheese and bacon mixture
• Repeat layering
• Bake at 350 for 20 minutes
• Increase oven temp to broil and broil 3 minutes until top is lightly browned.

---------------------------------------------------
this was delicious. it made so much. we had tons of left overs. it was good as a main dish but my husband would have preferred it as a side!