Hello lovelies,
Well one of the most comforting foods to I think almost everyone, is mac and cheese. Who does not love mac and cheese? Well I have always heard about chili mac and cheese, but I have never tried it. To be completely honest, at first it sounded a bit weird to me, the combination, I mean. Also, I think I have said before that I do not like dry foods, and most chili macs tend to be dry, says the husband. As I said before, I had never had it or attempted to make it. I can see where it comes in handy to make a chili mac, as it is a fun food for children, comforting, easy to make, quick to make, and a nice spin on a classic.
Before other things, get a pot of water boiling with a dash of salt, and a bit of oil in it so the pasta doesn't stick. Go ahead and add elbow pasta to the boiling water once ready, stirring occasionally.
We are going to start by chopping an onion or 1/2 onion depending on how much you are making and how large or small your onion is.
After we are done chopping our onions, heat a bit of olive oil in a pan. I apologize for my pots and pans being discolored, this was from washing them in the dishwasher, when it said they were dishwasher safe. Big mistake! Get your oil nice and hot, until you start to see the oil ripple when tilting the pan.
Sauté' until the onions and garlic become translucent.
Now, I love to home make tomato sauce, but to get it just right and perfect, it takes a while to make. Don't get me wrong now, it is totally worth the time and is so much better, but when you want a quick meal, or are cooking after work, using a jar of sauce is just easier and more plausible. So I used a whole 16 oz jar of ragu traditional old world pasta sauce.
Mix well yall! Ok, so it looked dry to me, so I added about 1/2 cup of cream to the mix and a tablespoon of butter, I forgot those pictures, but it made a WHOPING difference for the better!
Well one of the most comforting foods to I think almost everyone, is mac and cheese. Who does not love mac and cheese? Well I have always heard about chili mac and cheese, but I have never tried it. To be completely honest, at first it sounded a bit weird to me, the combination, I mean. Also, I think I have said before that I do not like dry foods, and most chili macs tend to be dry, says the husband. As I said before, I had never had it or attempted to make it. I can see where it comes in handy to make a chili mac, as it is a fun food for children, comforting, easy to make, quick to make, and a nice spin on a classic.
Before other things, get a pot of water boiling with a dash of salt, and a bit of oil in it so the pasta doesn't stick. Go ahead and add elbow pasta to the boiling water once ready, stirring occasionally.
We are going to start by chopping an onion or 1/2 onion depending on how much you are making and how large or small your onion is.
After we are done chopping our onions, heat a bit of olive oil in a pan. I apologize for my pots and pans being discolored, this was from washing them in the dishwasher, when it said they were dishwasher safe. Big mistake! Get your oil nice and hot, until you start to see the oil ripple when tilting the pan.
Once your oil is hot enough, throw on the diced onion as well as some garlic, I used about a tablespoon of pre minced garlic, you can use less or more if you'd like. It is really up to your taste preference. I love garlic, so I tend to go heavy on it.
Sauté' until the onions and garlic become translucent.
Now, to the sautés onions and garlic, in the same pan, add a pound of ground beef and cook until brown. You could substitute this with ground chicken or ground turkey if you'd prefer one of those. Season this baby to taste with salt and pepper, and with your preference taste of chili powder, paprika, garlic and onion powder. You can really be creative with the flavors and however much you like. I added quite a lot of all four of those spices, as well as a bit of cumin. I absolutely adore cumin in chili, and just in general. Cumin is my favorite spice to cook with, as nutmeg is my favorite spice to bake with. I also added a dash of cayenne for some heat, not too much, just enough to when you try it, you get a bit of kick, and are trying to pin point what it is.
Now, I love to home make tomato sauce, but to get it just right and perfect, it takes a while to make. Don't get me wrong now, it is totally worth the time and is so much better, but when you want a quick meal, or are cooking after work, using a jar of sauce is just easier and more plausible. So I used a whole 16 oz jar of ragu traditional old world pasta sauce.
Add the sauce in with the ground meat, bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and cover. Allow the sauce to simmer, and the meat to take on the flavor. Try it occasionally, and adjust seasonings as need be.
Don't forget about your pasta, give it a look, it is most likely ready to go! Go ahead and pour it into a strainer, and shake to get all the water out.
Add the pasta to the ground meat/sauce mixture and add in a good amount of cheese about 1/2 cup of sharp cheddar and 1/2 cup of Mexican cheddar mix. And maybe a sprinkle extra if you're a cheese'oholic like me. ;) Yes I went there!
Mix well yall! Ok, so it looked dry to me, so I added about 1/2 cup of cream to the mix and a tablespoon of butter, I forgot those pictures, but it made a WHOPING difference for the better!
Now, bake that bitch! haha Well you can eat it as if after all the cheese has melted if you'd like; however, I thought it would be more delicious baked with some bread crumbs on top, so I baked it for about 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
And when you're a chees'oholic, add more cheese!
BAKE BAKE BAKE!
BAKE BAKE BAKE!
BAKE YOUR BOOTY!
Ok that didn't sound right, but you get it right?!
:p
And then take out and Enjoy!!
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