Three Cheese Pasta Bake

★ 1 ^1/2 cups (6 ounces) dried noodles (macaroni, shells, etc)
★ 2 tablespoons (^1/4 stick) unsalted butter
★ 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
★ 1 ^1/2 milk
★ 2 cups (8 ounces) lightly packed, coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
★ 1 cup (4 ounces) lightly packed, coarsely grated secondary cheese (Swiss, Mozzarella)
★ ^1/2 cup cream (I used 18%)
★ 1 cup fresh (soft) bread crumbs
★ ^1/3 cup freshly and finely grated Parmesan cheese
★ 8 strips of bacon, cooked until lightly brown, and then crumbled. (This is optional for you vegetarians.)

1. Preheat oven to 375°F

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles of choice and cook according to package directions, unless the noodles are homemade. =) Drain the noodles, transfer to a large bowl, and set aside.

3. Melt the butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk constantly until smooth and thick, about 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk while whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Cook, stirring frequently, until the white sauce begins to simmer and thicken, 3 to 4 minutes. (If you used 1% milk or skim, the sauce might be a tad thin. 3-4 minutes is plenty, don’t over cook!) I like to add a pinch or two of garlic (or one clove!) here as well, because I love the stuff, but that’s up to you. It’s good without it too.

4. Add the cheddar cheese to the white sauce and stir constantly until the cheese melts. Add the cheese sauce to the noodles and stir to combine. Season the noodles now with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Transfer the noodles and cheese to a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Evenly sprinkle the second cheese of choice on top of the macaroni and drizzle the cream over the top. The noodles and cheese can be prepared up to this point and refrigerated, covered, for up to two days.

6. Combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl and sprinkle this mixture over the noodles and cheese.

7. Bake 25-30 minutes, until it is hot and the top golden brown. (15 minutes longer if it’s been refrigerated) Serve hot, of course. Serves four-six.

[flickr]http://www.flickr.com/photos/simplystardust/3655442218/[/flickr]