Enchilada Mac & Cheese

Oh man, I think I have found the mother of all comfort food – enchilada mac & cheese.  The perfect combination of two of my favorite foods.  It kind of reminds me of hamburger helper, but SO MUCH better and just as easy.  I was looking for a recipe that sparked my interest this week when I came across this.  Now, keep in mind, I have been working out quite a bit lately and watching what I eat (bathing suit season is coming soon – or that is what  I keep telling myself even though it is in the low 20’s today), so when I saw this,  my mouth started salivating.  I knew I had to let myself splurge and try this out.   

 After working out this morning and showing my apartment to a potential new tenant (tear), I needed a little comforting and headed to the store.  I found this recipe on a blog, but tweaked it a little by adding in green chilies, red pepper flake (to add a slight kick), and decided to take it one step further to bake it (however, I did sneak  a few bites before popping it in the oven- I couldn’t resist!). Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1lb medium shells, cooked and drained

2 cup heavy cream

2 cup colby jack cheese, shredded

1 can (10oz) red enchilada sauce

1lb ground beef, cooked and drained

1 tsp ground cumin

1 Sml Can Green Chilies

1 tsp kosher salt

1 Pinch Red Pepper Flake (optional)

Directions:

In a frying pan, brown the meat.  When it is 75% done, add in the green chilies to sauté together.

In a second large frying pan, heat cream, enchilada sauce, cumin, red pepper flake and salt on medium heat. Whisking often, heat until mixture just begins to bubble. Reduce heat to medium low and add in cheese. Stir until smooth. Mix in the cooked ground beef and the cooked noodles. If you are in a rush to get dinner on the table you can stop here and serve immediately.  If you can wait another 20-30 minutes, throw the mixture into an oven safe dish, throw a little extra cheese on top and bake.  

Recipe Source: www.shugarysweets.com

Picture Source: Lindsay Klindt