Red Hot Chipotle Bacon Mac and Cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 2 1/2- or 3-quart baking dish.

2. 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, 8 minutes. Drain. Return pasta to pot; cover. Keep warm off heat.

3. Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon slices on paper towels. Crumble.

4. Puree milk, heavy cream, cumin, salt, pepper, and chipotle pepper in a blender or food processor. Pulse until the pepper is completely incorporated into the mixture, 8 to 10 pulses.

5. Place butter and minced garlic in a saucepan over medium-high heat; stir until butter is melted. Whisk flour into butter mixture, and continue whisking until flour starts to turn golden brown, about 1 minute. Slowly add pureed milk and chipotle mixture to the saucepan, whisking until there are no more lumps. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium.

6. Stir Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses into the cream mixture, stirring until the cheese is melted. Add roasted garlic sauce and mix thoroughly. Transfer mixture to pot with cooked pasta; stir. Pour into prepared baking dish.

7. Bake in preheated oven until bubbly, about 20 minutes.

8. Remove from the oven. Stir in crumbled bacon and chopped bell pepper. Bake until lightly browned, about 10 more minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Cook's Note:

For a milder, more family-friendly pasta, use only one chipotle pepper. If you like an extra kick, use two chipotle peppers.