Johnny Jalapeno'S 'Jumpin Wagon Wheels!' Macaroni And Cheese - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Macaroni
16 ounces large sized elbow macaroni noodles (or wagon wheels shape)
8 tablespoons butter, melted
Cheese Sauce
2 cups half & half light cream (or milk)
1 1/2 cups shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded gouda cheese
4 ounces cream cheese
1 tablespoon habanero sauce (or hot pepper sauce)
1 teaspoon mustard powder
kosher salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
1 cup light sour cream
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups cooked lean ham, cubed
2 -3 tablespoons chopped jalapeno peppers (to your firey desire)
Topping
4 slices bacon, raw and cut into 1-inch squares
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 parmesan cheese
2 roma tomatoes, sliced thin (or plum tomatoes)

Preparation

MACARONI: Cook macaroni according to package and drain well. Pour into a cast iron dutch oven (or crock pot), stir melted butter into the hot pasta and set aside.
CHEESE SAUCE: Heat milk in a 2 quart sauce pan over medium heat until warmed. Add the cheeses, stirring gently until melted. Season to taste with habanero sauce, dry mustard, salt, and black pepper.
Remove from heat and fold in the sour cream. Slowly add the beaten eggs while wisking to incorporate. Mix in the chopped ham and jalapenos.
ASSEMBLY: Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta (the macaroni will be soupy at this point, but it will absorb as it bakes). Note: Dish can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days at this point.
BAKE: Preheat oven to 350\u00b0F Place bacon pieces over the top. In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over top of macaroni and bacon.
Bake approximately 30 minutes (longer if refrigerated) until hot. Remove from oven and place tomatoes over top to resemble wagon wheels and sprinkle with a bit more black pepper if desired. Place back in the oven for 5-10 more minutes. You can turn the oven off and keep warm for a little while til ready to serve.