Bacon + Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese

Ask and you shall receive.  This was one of my most popular and most requested instagram recipes to date, but whats not to love about a jazzed up Mac and Cheese??   This mac and cheese is pretty much amazing.  Best eaten hot and gooey.  It made me come to the conclusion that bacon and brussels sprouts should always be paired together.   I could have eaten all the cooked bacon and brussels sprouts before I even added in the mac and cheese.  The cheese sauce is so creamy and delicious,  this whole dish is really a killer combo.  The original recipe called for it to be baked in the oven with bread crumbs, which I did.  However I felt like that dried it out, I honestly thought it was best right off the skillet.  But you decide how you want yours:)  Either way its damn good.

Enjoy!

|| B A C O N  + B R U S S E L S   S  P R O U T S   M A C   A N D   C H E E S E ||

adapted via How Sweet It Is

Ingredients:

1 pound of cooked pasta, smaller noodles desired
6 slices of bacon, chopped
1 shallot, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 pound of brussels sprouts, stems removed and sliced/chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup half and half
8 ounces fontina cheese, freshly grated
4 ounces white cheddar cheese, freshly grated
2 ounces parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons fine breadcrumbs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Heat a large, 12-inch oven-safe skillet oven medium-low heat and add bacon. Cook until the fat is just rendered, then removed about 1/4 of the bacon and set it aside in a bowl. Cook the remaining bacon until completely crispy. Add in the shallot, garlic and brussels spouts, stirring well to coat. Cook until the brussels soften, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and toss the pasta in with the brussels.
To make the cheese sauce. heat a small saucepan over medium heat and add the butter. Once it's sizzling, whisk in the flour to create a roux and cook until it is golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in the milk and the half and half, stirring the entire time and cook until it is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the fontina, cheddar and parm, stirring until the cheese is melted. Stir in the nutmeg. Once the cheese is melted, pour it over the pasta in the skillet and toss well to coat. Add the panko and fine breadcrumbs over top of the pasta and sprinkle on the bacon that your set aside earlier.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbly.