Cheese sauce:

• 4 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2.5 – 3 cups milk
• 2 cups shredded cheese
• 100g Velveeta processed cheese (or 5 processed cheese slices)

• 6 slices bacon (cooked and cut into pieces)
• 600g elbow macaroni (cooked el dente)

Instructions:

1. Add butter, flour, salt and pepper to a medium sauce pan, heat and stir with a whisk to form a roux.
2. Gradually add milk and continue to whisk until smooth then cook until thickened and flour is cooked.
3. Turn off heat (I have an electric range and the residual heat will be enough to melt the cheese).
4. Add shredded cheese, whisk until smooth and then repeat with processed cheese (whether using Velveeta or slices, cut processed cheese into smaller pieces to assist with blending).
5. Once sauce is complete, add bacon to the sauce.
6. Cook pasta per package directions.
7. Drain and briefly rinse pasta then add to a 5QT dutch oven or casserole dish with a lid.
8. Add cheese sauce, blend well with pasta and bake (covered) at 350F, until mac is bubbling around the edges (about 30 mins).

Notes:

• We use thick cut bacon and cook it on a cookie sheet in the oven but any type or cooking method will work.
• To reduce cooking time, prepare your sauce while your pasta is cooking.
• If you make your sauce first, you may need to “loosen” it by whisking in a little additional milk before adding it to the pasta.