Spice Up Your Mac and Cheese
BY Benjamin Vargas
Ingredients
4 cups cooked macaroni or cavatappi
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 finely diced red onion
Equal amount diced red bell pepper
1 finely diced jalapeño
1 4-ounce can chopped green chiles
1 cup frozen corn
2 to 3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup cream
1 generous cup grated pepper jack cheese
2 tablespoons butter
Salt
Pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 finely diced red onion
Equal amount diced red bell pepper
1 finely diced jalapeño
1 4-ounce can chopped green chiles
1 cup frozen corn
2 to 3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup cream
1 generous cup grated pepper jack cheese
2 tablespoons butter
Salt
Pepper
Let’s start this hot and tasty recipe by boiling pasta until al dente.
In a large skillet, add olive oil and saute garlic and vegetables over medium heat for a couple of minutes. Add in canned chiles and stir around, then turn off heat. Drain pasta and add it to skillet. Pour on cream, add cheese, then add salt and pepper to taste and stir gently. At the end, add 2 tablespoons butter and stir again. Check seasonings and serve. Serve with juicy steak, grilled shrimp, chicken, or on its own. It’ll change your life for the better. Elaboration supplied by chef: Begin by boiling a pot of water and throwing in the pasta. Cook until al dente—do not overcook, I repeat, DO NOT OVERCOOK. Next, dice 1/4 to 1/2 of a red onion. Then dice an equal amount of red bell pepper. I start by cutting off the top and seeding it. Then I cut it into julienne strips. Then I rotate the strips 90 degrees and dice them. Cut into small pieces, so you don’t end up with huge chunks in the finished dish, ain’t nobody got time for that! Now, dice up a jalapeño. (You can leave this out if you’re a total wuss; since I know you’re not, keep following the instructions.) Chop off the top, scrape out most of the seeds and membranes, and dice them just like we did with the bell pepper.
Next, dice up 2 to 3 cloves of garlic, depending on how much you love garlic. Also, grate a generous cup of pepper jack cheese so it’ll be all ready. And oh, live a little—make it a cup and a half. Now, grab a large skillet and drizzle in a little olive oil. Over medium heat, add in the garlic and the chopped vegetables. And about 1 cup of frozen corn.
Saute the vegetables for just a couple of minutes. You want them to be slightly tender, but not completely mushy and soft. Toward the end of cooking, throw in a small can of diced green chiles. Now breath in deeply, before proceeding to the next step. When the pasta is ready, drain it and pour about 4 cups right into the skillet. Now, use regular elbow macaroni or cavatappi if you are into colorfully whimsical shapes.
Measure 1 cup of heavy (evil, sinful, mean) cream; before stirring, go ahead and pour in the cream, add in all the cheese. Now add in a little salt and plenty of black pepper. Oh yeah! Your mouth will start watering, that’s totally normal, just keep going. NOW you can stir! This is not necessary, but please add in a couple of pats of butter at this point, you’ll thank me later. Give it a final stir, making sure everything’s all melted, then test the seasonings and add whatever you need. Sometimes I’ll add a little more cheese if it needs a little thickening. Now it’s time to serve it up! Just look at this heavenly bowl of delight. You’re welcome.
In a large skillet, add olive oil and saute garlic and vegetables over medium heat for a couple of minutes. Add in canned chiles and stir around, then turn off heat. Drain pasta and add it to skillet. Pour on cream, add cheese, then add salt and pepper to taste and stir gently. At the end, add 2 tablespoons butter and stir again. Check seasonings and serve. Serve with juicy steak, grilled shrimp, chicken, or on its own. It’ll change your life for the better. Elaboration supplied by chef: Begin by boiling a pot of water and throwing in the pasta. Cook until al dente—do not overcook, I repeat, DO NOT OVERCOOK. Next, dice 1/4 to 1/2 of a red onion. Then dice an equal amount of red bell pepper. I start by cutting off the top and seeding it. Then I cut it into julienne strips. Then I rotate the strips 90 degrees and dice them. Cut into small pieces, so you don’t end up with huge chunks in the finished dish, ain’t nobody got time for that! Now, dice up a jalapeño. (You can leave this out if you’re a total wuss; since I know you’re not, keep following the instructions.) Chop off the top, scrape out most of the seeds and membranes, and dice them just like we did with the bell pepper.
Next, dice up 2 to 3 cloves of garlic, depending on how much you love garlic. Also, grate a generous cup of pepper jack cheese so it’ll be all ready. And oh, live a little—make it a cup and a half. Now, grab a large skillet and drizzle in a little olive oil. Over medium heat, add in the garlic and the chopped vegetables. And about 1 cup of frozen corn.
Saute the vegetables for just a couple of minutes. You want them to be slightly tender, but not completely mushy and soft. Toward the end of cooking, throw in a small can of diced green chiles. Now breath in deeply, before proceeding to the next step. When the pasta is ready, drain it and pour about 4 cups right into the skillet. Now, use regular elbow macaroni or cavatappi if you are into colorfully whimsical shapes.
Measure 1 cup of heavy (evil, sinful, mean) cream; before stirring, go ahead and pour in the cream, add in all the cheese. Now add in a little salt and plenty of black pepper. Oh yeah! Your mouth will start watering, that’s totally normal, just keep going. NOW you can stir! This is not necessary, but please add in a couple of pats of butter at this point, you’ll thank me later. Give it a final stir, making sure everything’s all melted, then test the seasonings and add whatever you need. Sometimes I’ll add a little more cheese if it needs a little thickening. Now it’s time to serve it up! Just look at this heavenly bowl of delight. You’re welcome.