Meximac

Oh look!  It's another post about food.  I like to post about gardening and sewing/knitting projects, too, but the truth is that my garden is asleep for the season, and my other projects take several days to several weeks (most of the time) to complete.  Meanwhile, I have to eat every day, which means I cook most days.  On Saturday I made what I will call Meximac:  macaroni and cheese with a Tex-Mex twist.  It's not good for you, but it is tasty.  It is a cold and gloomy time of year; 'tis the season for comfort food (and extra trips to the gym)!

What you need:

• 1 pound elbow noodles
• 1 pound chorizo
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 to 3 tablespoons flour
• 4 cups milk
• 12 ounces (~3 cups) shredded cheese
• 2 cans rotel
• 1 canned chipotle, minced
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• salt to taste
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

A note on chorizo:  I really do like traditional chorizo, but then I read the ingredients list.  Now I buy this brand, which contains muscle meat instead of lymph nodes, salivary glands, and cheek fat.  Purchase whatever type makes you happy.

Put a large pot of water on to boil, and make your sauce while you wait.  Start by browning your chorizo.  Toss a tablespoon of butter in to melt.  When the chorizo is cooked and the butter has melted, stir in your flour to make a roux.

When the roux has cooked for a minute or two, stir in the milk.  I did not use enough flour and I have some fat floating on top of my sauce.  It didn't matter in the end, but looked a little gross while I was cooking.

This is my favorite variety of Rotel.  Drain your cans of Rotel and add them to the sauce along with the chipotle and other seasonings.

Keep stirring the sauce and bring it to a bubble.  Reduce the heat to low.

When your water is boiling, add the noodles and cook per package instructions, less one minute. 

Drain and rinse with cold water.

Turn off the heat on the sauce and stir in the shredded cheese.  I used sharp cheddar, but pepper jack or a smoked cheddar would be good, too.

Stir the pasta and sauce together and put it in a 9 by 13 dish.  Top it with a little more cheese and the panko bread crumbs.  Bake it at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese on top has started to brown.

Allow the finished casserole to sit for several minutes before serving.  I had meant to steam some broccoli to serve with this, but I got so excited about the mac and cheese that I forgot.

Enjoy!