Crispy bacon, cheesy mac, and softie eggs: the best breakfast combo ever? How’s 2024 going so far? We’ve been wandering around Tokyo, soaking up the relentless sunshine (except for the last two days of rain). The weather forecast here is freakishly accurate – if they predict rain at 2 pm, you better believe you’ll need an umbrella right on the dot.

Rainy days have kept us indoors, checking out new year’s sales. Found a cute noragi jacket for $30, and it’s perfect for the cold. Cold weather makes me hungry, and let’s just say I’ve been getting a bit squishy. It’s hard to resist all the good food here!

Every time we pass by a Doutor (like Starbucks but with more food), I see a giant photo of a cheesy tuna melt that looks irresistible. I haven’t given in yet, but who knows? Maybe we are the kind of people who go to Japan to eat tuna melts!?

Back to breakfast: I present you with EBM! It’s like EDM, but for breakfast lovers – extra cheesy mac and cheese, bacon bits, and soft-baked eggs. It creeps up on you like a good EDM track: the deep beat of the mac, the bass of the bacon, and the drop – the eggs on top. Breakfast and mac and cheese lovers, unite!

Ingredients:

• 4-6 slices thick cut bacon, chopped
• 2 cups dry macaroni or small pasta of choice (I used scoobi doo/cavatappi)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups grated cheese of choice (I used a mix of mozza and cheddar)
• Extra cheese for baking, if desired
• 4 large eggs

Helpful Hints:

• Use a mix of mozzarella and cheddar for the best cheesy flavor.
• Ensure your bacon is crispy for an added crunch.
• Make small wells in the mac & cheese for the egg whites to ensure they cook properly.

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Fry the bacon until crispy, then set aside.
3. Boil your pasta until al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
4. In the same pot or a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and stir constantly for about three minutes, until smooth and incorporated.
5. Pour in 1 cup of milk in a thin stream while whisking. It might start out lumpy, but keep whisking until smooth. Add the rest of the milk and whisk until smooth. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
6. Remove from heat and add the salt, pepper, and cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted. Add the drained pasta and bacon and gently mix. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Place the mac and cheese in an oven-proof skillet.
7. Make four small wells in the mac. Separate the egg whites from the yolks and pour the whites into the wells. Sprinkle cheese around the wells, if desired. Bake until the whites are almost set, about 10 minutes.
8. Top the whites with the yolks and bake until the yolks are just starting to set, 2-3 minutes. Remove from the oven and enjoy!