Chile Mac n' Cheese
From: Deborah McMurtrie
1/16/03
For those of you truly having winter (unlike us), this is the best comfort food when you're frozen to the core.
This may have been posted before in the 'way back time.
Not for the faint of heart or hard of artery!
Some of the measurements are variable, depending on your personal tastes.
8 oz. elbow macaroni
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. flour
1.5 - 2 c. milk
2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese (Tillamook Xtra Sharp at our house)
1/2 c. shredded parmesan (the good stuff, not from the green can)
1/4 c. dijon mustard
1 can (undrained) chopped green chilies, or 4 roasted & peeled Hatch green chilies, chopped (depending on your heat preference)
4 oz. cream cheese, cubed
fresh ground pepper
parsley (fresh if you've got it, dried if you don't)
Cook pasta to al dente, drain, rinse to cool, set aside. Set oven to 350º F.
Make cheese sauce: melt butter, stir in flour. Cook a few minutes then add mustard and a few grindings of pepper. Begin adding milk, stirring to remove lumps. Add cream cheese and continue cooking on low until cheese melts. Stir in chilies & can juices. Set aside. Sauce will thicken as it cools, add a bit more milk if you think it's needed.
Assembly
In a casserole (spray with Pam to help the clean up later), layer 1/3 each of the drained pasta, then sauce, cheddar, parmesan, and dusting of parsley. Repeat layering, end with sauce, top with parsley.
Bake 1/2 hour or until casserole is bubbling well. Absolutely the best when served still molten and creamy.
Deb
paca_mama