Roasted Green Chile Mac and Cheese

I love cheese, and I often spend my days dreaming about what I want to do with cheese. Add cheese. to my love of pasta, and I am instantly put in an awakened dream state!

I don't think I've ever encountered a normal person who doesn't like cheese. Even my vegan friends crave cheese, even if it's cashew cheese...but everyone wants cheese in their life!

This leads me to my new recipe, Roasted Green Chile Mac and Cheese. It's Hatch Chile season which means, lots of wonderful roasted Chile peppers!

I ate all my fresh roasted Chile peppers and that leads me to using a can of these babies when the fresh ones are not available.  

This is a really simple Mac and Cheese, just make a highly seasoned cheese sauce, add more cheese, top with even more cheese and bake...yep, it's all about the cheese. The addition of Hatch chiles brings it all together....

Look what we've created people...you see that crust in the background...that's because I dotted the top of the Mac with butter prior to baking...yep, butter...my mama taught me that trick...

Creamy, Cheesy, Goodness...you know you want a bite!


Roasted Green Chile Mac and Cheese

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4-6
 
Ingredients:

1 lb. elbow macaroni, large
1 cup Hatch green chiles, diced
1 stick butter, unsalted
3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
3 cups pepper jack cheese, grated
2 cups mozzarella, grated
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1 stalk celery, diced
1/2 white onion, diced
1/2 bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons of parsley, minced
1 tablespoon creole seasoning
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon Tabasco hot sauce
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons of flour
extra butter to dot top of mac and cheese

Directions:

Mix seasoning blend and set aside. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add about 1 tablespoon of salt to boiling water. Add pasta and cook 5 minutes. Remove pasta from stove, drain, rinse in hot water, drain again. Coat pasta with about 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to prevent sticking and set aside.

In a skillet, add remaining 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, heat over medium heat. Add vegetables and saute for about 5 minutes, add 1 tablespoon of seasoning blend to vegetable mixture and cook 1 minute more.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix all grated cheese together. Reserve 1 cup of cheese to top the mac and cheese.

In a stock pot, add 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Heat to medium heat add flour and whisk well. Cook for about 4 minutes, whisking constantly, add remaining seasoning blend, cook for 1 minute more. Reduce heat to medium low, add cream and milk and whisk well. Add cheese by the handful, whisking well after each addition. Add hot sauce. Once all cheese has been added toss in the cooked pasta and veggies.


Butter a 13X9 oven proof casserole dish with about 2 tablespoons of butter. Place the pasta cheese mixture in the casserole dish.

Top casserole with remaining cheese topping and dot with a little butter.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 15-20 minutes, turn oven to broil and broil for 4-5 minutes.

Allow Green Chile Mac and Cheese to rest about 15 minutes then serve. Enjoy!