Whole Wheat Red Carbonara

I apologize in advance to all my carb-free friends, but I lurves mah pasta. I don't cook often, so that's why you're seeing two recipe posts so close together. Mom says "If you can read, you can cook." I think I'm starting to believe that. Enjoy!

• 1 lb whole wheat penne rigate
• 1 jar spaghetti sauce of your choice (recommend vodka or four-cheese)
• 6 slices bacon, uncooked
• 2 green onions
• 1/2 sweet onion
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• finely shredded parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp italian seasoning
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Chop sweet onion, green onions, and bacon. Begin cooking pasta as directed. Place bacon in 13" iron skillet on high heat and heat through, not until crispy. Move bacon to side and add garlic, onions, and seasoning. Cook until onions are sautéed. Pour and stir sauce into mixture, reducing heat to medium-low to heat through. When pasta is cooked and drained, return to pot.

Serve by putting pasta in dish/bowl, then add sauce on top with liberal sprinkle of shredded parmesan and parsley. Serves 4.

Matthias' Mega-Gooey Baked Mac & Cheese

• 16 oz pasta (I prefer rotini... use something the cheese will stick to)
• 8 oz smoked gouda, hand-shredded
• 8 oz shredded mozzarella
• 8 oz shredded cheddar
• 2 1/2 c milk
• 1/4 c flour
• 4 tbsp butter or margarine
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp black pepper

Cook pasta as directed. While doing this, melt butter in saucepan, then add flour; remove from heat and stir until smooth, adding mustard and fresh ground black pepper.

Place back onto med-high heat, stir continuously while slowly adding milk until it looks like glue. Once all milk is added, turn heat to low and stir in gouda and half the mozzarella cheese. Stir until fully melted. (If you don't have gouda/mozzarella, 8 oz of velveeta, roughly diced, will work nicely too.)

Drain pasta and place into 8 x 13 casserole, mix in cheese sauce. Cover with shredded cheddar and rest of mozzarella, then sprinkle paprika across the top. Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees.

Trust me. Best mac you've ever had.