When you need a quick pasta dish that the whole family will like, try out this recipe. It’s a one dish meal. You can serve a green salad on the side also if you want more veggies (3 out of 4 of us at that too). My boys both loved it, but who can blame them with bacon, bacon fat and spaghetti?

I used this recipe from Tasty Kitchen as a base, but tweaked it a bit. I cut the recipe in half, which was perfect for my family (2 adults and 2 small kids), but adjust it to your needs.

Ingredients:

• Six strips of bacon
• 2 oz. cream cheese
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
• 1/4 cup of whole milk (or cream)
• 1 cup of frozen cut green beans
• 1/2 yellow or sweet onion diced
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 egg
• 8 oz. spaghetti (or other pasta)
• 6 sun-dried tomatoes chopped (optional topping)

Directions:

1. In a skillet with lid (contains splatters), fry the bacon. When done, remove bacon onto paper towel. Leave bacon fat in pan (this is the good stuff).
2. Sautee onion and garlic in bacon fat for three minutes, and then add in green beans. Cover and cook for about 8 minutes. Stir periodically, and cook until beans are done to your liking.
   
3. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until done (according to package instructions).
4. Place milk (or cream) and cream cheese in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat until cream cheese is melted, and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat. Add the parmesan cheese, egg, and pepper. Whisk until blended.
5. Drain pasta (reserving 1/4 cup of hot water) and return to pot. Immediately add the white sauce and toss to coat. The hot pasta will cook the egg. Dump pasta mixture and crumbled bacon into the pan with the veggies.  Add the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce.
6. Serve!
   (This is an easy dish for your kids to use tongs and serve themselves getting some protein, pasta and veggies in one grab)