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First, I need to give credit… I didn’t make this one up. Got this recipe at browneyedbaker.com.

It’s Mac and Cheese, but with some things that make it appeal to adults, too.

First off, IT HAS BACON! It also has some more “sophisticated” cheese in it. This isn’t just cheddar and parmesan, folks.

Grown-Up Mac and Cheese

So… without further adieu:

• 8 slices thick-cut bacon
• veggie oil
• salt
• 6C rotini macaroni
• 4C milk
• 6T unsalted butter
• 6T all-purpose flour
• 12oz gruyere cheese
• 9oz sharp white cheddar
• 6oz fontina cheese
• 1/2t freshly ground black pepper
• dash nutmeg
• bread crumbs
• 1T freshly chopped basil

1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. Cook the bacon. I do it on a broiler in the oven. It needs to be crispy.
3. Boil the macaroni. Follow the directions on the package. Hit on the short-end of al dente… Don’t over-cook the mac!
4. Heat milk in a suacepan. Don’t boil it.
5. Melt butter in another sauce pan. Add flour. Cook on low heat for 2 minutes. Whisk the heck out of it.
6. Add the milk. Cook another couple minutes. It should thicken up a bit.
7. Turn the heat down as low as it’ll go. Add the cheese and mix it all up. Add a dash of salt, the pepper, and the nutmeg.
8. Mix in the mac. Dump this all into a 3qt caserole dish.
9. Mix breadcrumbs and basil (if you’re using it. Some don’t). Sprinkle it over the top of the pasta.
10. Bake 34-50 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the top has browned.

Close-up Mac and Cheese