Best JalapeÑo Bacon Mac And Cheese Recipes

SPICY JALAPENO-BACON MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain.
• Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until nearly crispy, about 5 minutes. Add jalapenos and fry with bacon until soft and bacon is crispy, about 5 minutes. Drain some of the bacon fat, leaving 4 tablespoons of fat in the pan.
• Stir chile paste into the pan and fry for 1 minute. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add flour and cook for 1 minute. Cook and stir garlic in the pan for 1 minute. Pour in milk and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes to cool slightly and prevent cheese from separating.
• Stir Cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese into the mixture until melted. Add drained pasta and mix together. Serve.

JALAPEÑO BACON MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Fry Bacon in a stove top pan. Add Jalapeño to the fry earlier for less spice, later for more. Including seeds will increase spice. Drain and set aside. In medium saucepan, melt butter and stir in flour to make a roux. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, then whisk in milk a little at a time to make a white sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer. Mix in salt, pepper, and cayenne, and stir frequently until sauce thickens. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Add to breadcrumbs. Combine with a fork. Add additional breadcrumbs until a lightly buttered toping results. Remove pan from heat and stir in bacon, jalapeño and cheese. Combine pasta with sauce and stir well. Pour into baking dish. Top with bread crumb toping. Bake 30 to 45 minutes, or until top is the desired crispiness. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

JALAPENO POPPER BACON MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring an 8 quart pot filled with water to a boil over high heat. Once it boils, add a handful of salt and pasta. Reduce heat to medium high and cook uncovered to al dente. Drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile warm a large 12 inch skillet over medium high heat. Using clean kitchen shears cut bacon into bite size pieces over the skillet and let them fall into the pan. Stir occasionally as needed. Cook until crisp.
• While the bacon is cooking, shred cheeses and dice jalapenos.
• Once bacon is cooked through, remove bacon to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings and discard the rest. Wipe the side of the skillet to avoid flame ups.
• Pour reserved bacon drippings back int the skillet over medium heat and add butter. Once melted add jalapenos and saute until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add flour to skillet and whisk to combine. Add salt and cayenne pepper. Whisk to combine.
• Add cream cheese and stir until softened. Allow to come to a bubble for 3 minutes, whisking occasionally to help pick up the bits on the bottom of the pan. Add milk. Whisk to combine. Bring back to a boil and add cheeses. Stir until cheese is melted and smooth.
• Reserve 2 tablespoons bacon. Add pasta to sauce and stir to combine. Add remaining bacon. Cook pasta in sauce for 5 minutes over medium heat until sauce thickens and the pasta has a chance to absorb some of the sauce. Sprinkle with reserved bacon.