Parmesan Bacon Pasta

INGREDIENTS:

16 ounces uncooked Orecchiette

1# Webster City Double Smoke diced bacon

6 tablespoons butter

4 teaspoons minced garlic

4 oz of packaged cream cheese, at room temperature

3 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

8 oz finely shredded parmesan cheese, + to serve

DIRECTIONS:

1. Boil pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente (just cooked). Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water and drain pasta. Set aside.
2. While pasta is boiling, heat a pan or skillet over medium heat. Fry bacon until crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to paper towel lined plate.
3. Reserve only 1 tablespoon of bacon grease in the pan, discard the rest. Add the butter and let melt, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Sauté garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. Add the cream cheese and let melt while breaking it up with the end of a wooden spoon, about 2-3 minutes.
5. Once cream cheese has thinned out, whisk in the heavy cream and let simmer, while whisking, until the cream cheese has dissolved, about 4-5 minutes.
6. Season with onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
7. Reduce heat to low-medium and let simmer until slightly thickened. Add the parmesan cheese and let simmer until the parmesan has melted through the sauce, about 2-3 minutes.
8. Remove pan off the heat. Transfer cooked pasta into the sauce along with 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water. Mix through well to evenly coat in the sauce.
9. Add the crispy bacon back into the pan; mix well.
10. Serve immediately with extra parmesan cheese, if desired.
11. Enjoy!