Macaroni and Cheese

Creamy and zesty macaroni and cheese.  This is a delicious and super simple main dish or side dish. Better than that stuff from the box!

Ingredients

• 6 strips bacon
• vegetable oil
• salt
• 2 cups your favourite pasta
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
• 5 ounces cheddar, grated
• Pinch nutmeg
• pinch ground mustard
• pinch cayenne pepper
• pinch salt and pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in 1 layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is bendable. Remove the pan carefully from the oven. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and crumble when it is cool enough to handle. Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt the butter in a medium pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or 2 more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere and Cheddar, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cayenne. Add the cooked macaroni and crumbled bacon and stir well. Pour into 4 individual size ramekin dishes.