Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9×13 baking dish with the 2 teaspoons of butter.
2. In a large pan, cook the bacon pieces until crisp, stirring occasionally. Once crisp, remove the bacon pieces with a slotted spoons and set aside. Also remove 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat and reserve that as well separately.
3. In a pot, cook the macaroni in boiling salted water until just a little under done in texture. Drain and reserve.
4. While the macaroni is cooking, turn the heat on the large pan with the remaining bacon fat to medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until soft, stirring occasionally. Stir in the 1/4 cup parsley. Add the cream cheese and work it into the vegetables as it melts. Stir in the milk, whipping cream, nutmeg, and the cheddar. Turn heat to low and wait for the cheddar to melt while stirring. Remove from the heat and stir in the drained cooked macaroni. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Pour this macaroni mixture into the prepared 9×13 pan (it will be very runny, but the macaroni will absorb the liquid while it bakes). Crack the eggs one at a time symmetrically on the top. Sprinkle with reserved crisp bacon pieces. Mix the panko breadcrumbs with the 3 reserved tablespoons of bacon fat and sprinkle on the top as well as some more finely chopped fresh parsley.
6. Bake until the egg whites are set but the yolks still runny, about 14 to 18 minutes (or longer if you want the yolks firm).