Bacon and Caramelized Onion Mac and Cheese

Begin by filling a large pot with salted water and placing it on the stovetop to reach a rolling boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes (the noodles will still retain some firmness). Remove from heat and transfer to a large serving dish; add 4 tablespoons of melted butter and toss the noodles to coat them evenly.

Meanwhile, combine sour cream, cream cheese, and an egg in a bowl and whisk them together until smooth. Stir this mixture into the cooked macaroni, followed by 3 cups of each Asiago cheese and Cheddar cheese.

In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until it's evenly browned, which should take about 10 minutes. Reserve the bacon drippings in the skillet and then transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess fat. Chop it into small pieces.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with some cooking spray.

Add the onion, 2 tablespoons of melted butter, and garlic to the reserved bacon drippings in the skillet. Cook over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the onion is very soft and golden brown, taking about 10-15 minutes. Stir in some brown sugar to balance out the flavors and then add the chopped bacon, parsley, and panko bread crumbs. Transfer this mixture to a small bowl and set it aside.

In the same skillet, heat it over medium-low heat. Add another 2 tablespoons of melted butter and melt it. Whisk in some flour until it becomes a smooth paste-like consistency, taking about 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in some milk and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until it's smooth and thickened, stirring occasionally.

Stir in some hot pepper sauce, ground mustard, paprika, pepper, and salt to give the sauce a rich flavor. Remove it from heat and let it cool for 5 minutes.

Pour the sauce over the macaroni mixture, stirring to coat everything evenly. Transfer this mixture to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with 1 cup of each Asiago cheese and Cheddar cheese.

Top the macaroni mixture with the bread crumb topping you prepared earlier. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius) until the top is hot, bubbly, and golden brown, taking about 30 minutes.