Flavored with bacon, this easy, cheesy one-dish meal has everything a kid could want. (And hidden among the pasta is the broccoli moms want.)

Prep Time: 20 minutes, cook time: 25 minutes, servings: 8 
Ingredients
8    ounces penne pasta (whole wheat or white)
3    cups broccoli florets 
1/4    cup 1% milk
1    tablespoon Dijon mustard
Dash Worcestershire sauce 
Pinch grated nutmeg
Freshly ground black pepper
4    slices bacon
1    medium onion
1/4    cup oil-packed, sun-dried tomatoes, drained and diced (optional) 
2    cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded 
Oil or butter 
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Cook pasta according to directions, stirring occasionally. About 2 minutes before it's done, add the broccoli. While pasta cooks, whisk milk, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, nutmeg and pepper together in a large bowl. Drain pasta and broccoli and add it to the bowl. 
2. Cut bacon into bite-size pieces. Place in a medium skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes. Roughly chop onion and toss into skillet; add sun-dried tomatoes, if using. Cook until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Blot excess bacon fat with a paper towel, then add mixture to pasta and broccoli. Stir in 11?2 cups of cheese.
3. Grease a 12-inch pie plate or 9- by 12-inch glass baking dish with oil or butter. Transfer the whole mixture into the dish and sprinkle on the remaining cheese. Bake until the top is golden brown and crisp, about 25 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Prep Time: 20 minutes, cook time: 25 minutes, servings: 8 

Ingredients

8 ounces penne pasta (whole wheat or white)

3 cups broccoli florets 

1/4 cup 1% milk

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Dash Worcestershire sauce 

Pinch grated nutmeg

Freshly ground black pepper

4 slices bacon

1 medium onion

1/4 cup oil-packed, sun-dried tomatoes, drained and diced (optional) 

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded 

Oil or butter 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Cook pasta according to directions, stirring occasionally. About 2 minutes before it's done, add the broccoli. While pasta cooks, whisk milk, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, nutmeg and pepper together in a large bowl. Drain pasta and broccoli and add it to the bowl. 

2. Cut bacon into bite-size pieces. Place in a medium skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes. Roughly chop onion and toss into skillet; add sun-dried tomatoes, if using. Cook until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Blot excess bacon fat with a paper towel, then add mixture to pasta and broccoli. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of cheese.

3. Grease a 12-inch pie plate or 9- by 12-inch glass baking dish with oil or butter. Transfer the whole mixture into the dish and sprinkle on the remaining cheese. Bake until the top is golden brown and crisp, about 25 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Getting dinner on the table is a lot easier if you know the best way to hold a knife or peel garlic (smash it with the flat side of a chef's knife to loosen the peel, then mince with a rocking motion). How to Boil Water: Life Beyond Takeout collects tips from the Food Network Kitchens and pairs them with globally inspired recipes designed for busy cooks.
Excerpted from How to Boil Water: Life Beyond Takeout, by the Food Network Kitchens, published by Meredith Books. Copyright