Hatch Chili Macaroni and Cheese

Submitted by Molly53

"A zingy twist to regular mac and cheese."

 

• Ready In: 50mins
• Ingredients: 9
• Serves: 4-6

ingredients

• 8 ounces elbow macaroni (uncooked)
• 1 cup asadero cheese, shredded (substitute Fontina or Monterey Jack if unavailable)
• 1 cup colby cheese, shredded
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 dash pepper
• 2 cups milk
• 2 large green chilies, stemmed and seeded (Hatch chiles preferred, poblanos if they're unavailable)

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and spritz a casserole dish with cooking spray.
2. Puree the chile peppers in a food processor. (You may need to drizzle a bit of oil into the mixture to get the puree moving.).
3. Cook the macaroni according to package directions to al dente tenderness and drain very well.
4. In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat.
5. When melted, add the flour, salt, & pepper and whisk until bubbly and fully incorporated.
6. Slowly add the milk, continuing to whisk until smooth.
7. Bring the mixture to just under a simmer and begin slowly adding the cheese a handful at a time until all cheese is melted.
8. Finally, add the chile puree to the mixture.
9. Pour the cooked macaroni into the cheese sauce and stir to coat.
10. Then transfer the entire mixture to a medium baking dish.
11. Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned on top.