Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

Kosher salt

1 lb. medium pasta (shell or elbow is fine)

4 T. butter

1/4 C. all-purpose flour

2 1/2 C. whole milk

3 C. grated sharp cheddar (or any combination of cheese you desire)

1 heaping tsp. Dijon mustard (optional)

4 oz. cream cheese, cut into cubes

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh parsley for garnish

What to do:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, sprinkle in the flour and stir until it becomes pasty, about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and mustard, bring to a low simmer. Stir until the mixture looks thick, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the cheese, cream cheese by the handful and stir until melted, then remove from heat. Stir in the pasta and toss until thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, transfer to a serving bowl and serve warm garnished with parsley.

Christina’s Notes:

If you find that the sauce is too thick just add a little more milk, which should thin it out for you. Also, chunks of bacon are totally out of this world in this dish.