Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese

I absolutely love mac and cheese. It is one of my two absolute favorite go-to recipes when I am not in the mood to make dinner (the other is pizza, but I don't always have fresh dough on hand). To me, making mac and cheese is no big deal, and definitely worth the work. I am worried though that I may be pushing my luck with making mac and cheese so often. I pushed my luck with chick flicks and and my husband. For a while there, every time we went to the movies, my husband wanted to know if s**t blows up. I think I have taken him to enough action movies lately that I have reversed my karma. But I digress.

The other night I wasn't in the mood to come up with something for dinner, so I thought, mac and cheese! But then I worried that Marshall might start complaining "not mac and cheese, AGAIN!" so I had to come up with a unique twist. I started to think about what I had on hand, and Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese came to mind.

With my recent love of Pinterest, it may surprise you that I did not go there for the recipe. I just decided to use my tried and true recipe, with a few tweaks. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we did!

Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese

Makes 4 normal, or 2 large servings

4 ounces short pasta (I love cavatappi)
4 slices bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons butter (1 1/2 if using bacon drippings)
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup unsalted chicken stock
1/4 cup half and half
2 ounces extra sharp cheddar, grated
salt and pepper
1/4 sliced pickled jalapenos, chopped
1 teaspoon pickled jalapeno juice
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon olive oil.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook pasta one minute less than package directions. While pasta is cooking, cook the bacon. Drain bacon on paper towels, and reserve fat, if you would like the smoky flavor. Drain pasta, set aside.

Melt butter and bacon drippings (if you reserve the bacon drippings, add only enough butter to equal two tablespoons) in pan used to cook pasta. Add flour and cook for a minute or two, over medium/high heat. Slowly add half and half and chicken stock, whisking away any lumps. Continue to whisk until bubbly and thick. Turn off the heat and season with salt, pepper, and jalapeno juice. Add in 1 ounce of the grated extra sharp cheddar, and stir until melted. Add in the chopped jalapenos and bacon. Stir to combine. Add in the cooked pasta. If the sauce seems runny, that is okay.

Add mac and cheese to 1 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1 ounce extra sharp cheddar, then panko bread crumbs. Drizzle bread crumbs with olive oil. Bake, uncovered, until brown and crispy, about 20 minutes. Let cool for a couple minutes before serving.

Nutrition Info*
Calories 335 

*According to LoseIt.com calculation of 4 servings