Mac and Cheese with Bacon

Dave said he wanted homemade mac and cheese so I went on a search for a recipe that looked simple enough with lots of cheese. I asked what kind of noodles he wanted and he said small shells not that you can see that in the picture. I would definitely make this again.



For Mat the opinions of the eaters.
Dave says he liked it
Rob says moar BACON.

Ingredients
6 ounces grated extra-sharp cheddar
6 ounces grated Monterey Jack
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 1/2 cups milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground mustard (I didn't have this so I just used regular mustard)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic (optional)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Dash of cayenne
1/2 pound (8 ounces) elbow macaroni
2 slices of cooked and then cut up bacon (because of Robs request I would probably do a 3rd or 4th slice)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish or an 8″-by-8″ baking dish. Set aside.

Combine the cheddar, Monterey Jack and Parmesan cheeses in a medium bowl. Transfer 1 cup of cheese to a small bowl; reserve for topping.

In a medium saucepan, warm the milk over medium heat. Then in a Dutch oven or saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter. Add flour immediately; whisk to combine for about 1 minute. Raise the temperature to medium, and slowly whisk in the milk. Bring it to a boil to thicken, whisking the entire time. (You might need to raise the temperature slightly to get things going.)

Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the mustard, salt, garlic, pepper, nutmeg, cayenne and the 2 cups of mixed cheeses (from the larger bowl). Set the cheese sauce aside.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well, and add pasta to the cheese sauce. Stir to combine. Taste, adjust the seasonings, and add hot sauce, if you wish.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.Top with bacon and then reserved cheese, and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and bubbly, but the inside is still creamy.

Original idea and recipe came from http://www.ezrapoundcake.com/archives/9170