Southwestern Mac Cheese Recipes

SOUTHWESTERN MAC & CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Cook macaroni as directed on package, omitting salt. Meanwhile, brown meat with bell peppers in large skillet; drain.
• Heat dressing in large saucepan. Add flour; cook and stir 1 min. or until bubbly. Gradually whisk in milk; cook and stir 6 to 8 min. or until thickened. Add cheese, mustard and black pepper; cook and stir 2 min. or until cheese is melted and mixture is well blended.
• Drain macaroni. Add to cheese sauce; mix well. Stir in meat mixture and tomatoes and green chilies. Spoon into casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray.
• Bake 25 to 35 min. or until golden brown and sauce is bubbly. Let stand 2 min. before serving.

SOUTHWEST MAC & CHEESE WITH OPTIONAL CHICKEN

Steps:

• Boil the pasta until al dente, according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking, and return to the pan you boiled it in. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Set out six individual, oven-safe ramekins or gratin dishes for individual servings, two 5"x8" baking dishes if you're cooking up one dish with meat and one without, or an 8"x8"/two-quart baking dish if cooking it all in one big batch.
• In a medium bowl, toss together the cheddar, monterey jack, and Parmesan cheeses. Set aside.
• Over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour, salt, dry mustard, chili powder, pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika. Stir constantly over medium heat for about three minutes.
• Slowly whisk in the milk. Continuing over medium heat, whisk frequently for about 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens (as the sauce gets thicker, I recommend going from frequent stirs to constant stirs to help avoid burning).
• Remove from heat, and stir in 2 cups of the cheese. Continue stirring until cheese is melted, then add the green chilies and corn. Stir until combined. Select your version from the options below to continue.

SOUTHWEST MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients except cheese in 12-inch nonstick skillet. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally; reduce heat.
• Cover and simmer 10 to 14 minutes, stirring frequently, until macaroni is tender. Stir in cheese until melted.

SOUTHWESTERN CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cook beef and onion over medium heat, crumbling beef, until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Stir in next 8 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Drain macaroni; stir into beef mixture., Preheat oven to 375°. Transfer macaroni mixture to 2 greased 2-qt. baking dishes. Top with cheese and jalapenos. Cover and bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake until bubbly and heated through, about 10 minutes longer. Serve 1 casserole. Cool the second; cover and freeze up to 3 months., To use frozen casserole: Thaw in refrigerator 8 hours. Preheat oven to 375°. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake, increasing time as necessary to heat through and for a thermometer inserted in center to read 165°, 20-25 minutes.

SOUTHWESTERN PASTA & CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute pepper and onions in oil until tender. Stir in the flour, chili powder, chipotle pepper, salt and cumin until blended. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in 1/4 cup cheese until melted., Drain pasta; toss with sauce. Stir in bacon and cilantro. Transfer to a 2-qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.