Bacon Mac

Totally not apologizing for not writing in FOREVER and promising to do better. Cuz it doesnt seem to matter. So . . . here's what we ate last week. First up is Bacon Mac which was AWESOME! It isnt as saucy as a mac and cheese. But oh so tasty! And easy. We added broccoli to try to make it a bit healthier. I made this all (besides boiling the pasta) in my brandy new Buffet Casserole (I got it for Christmas!)

Bacon Mac
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1 cup) We got 2 dinners and 2 lunches out of this. Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2009 (That is there picture there, we forgot to take one)

3 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
12 ounces strozzapreti or penne pasta (We used Trader Joe's Organic Whole Wheat Penne)
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups skim milk, divided
2 cups finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided (We used Trader Joe's extra extra sharp cheddar)
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 slices center-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
(1 head of broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces, optional)
Cooking spray

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Bring 6 quarts water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil. Add pasta (and broccoli); cook 8 minutes or until al dente; drain.

3. Combine flour and 1/2 cup milk in a saucepan (buffet casserole) over medium heat. Gradually add 1 cup milk; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; let stand 4 minutes or until it cools to 155°. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, onions, hot sauce, pepper, and bacon; stir. Add pasta (and broccoli); toss. Spoon into a 2-quart broiler-safe dish coated with cooking spray (skipped this since it was all in the casserole); top with 1/2 cup cheese. Broil 7 minutes. (I only left it in for 4 and it was perfect).

CALORIES 399 ; FAT 13.8g (sat 8.5g,mono 4g,poly 0.8g); CHOLESTEROL 44mg; CALCIUM 358mg; CARBOHYDRATE 48.7g; SODIUM 544mg; PROTEIN 20g; FIBER 2g; IRON 2.1mg