southwestern macaroni and cheese with adobo meatballs

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 (8 ounce) package elbow macaroni
• 3/4 pound lean ground beef
• 3 tablespoons adobo seasoning
• 2 teaspoons powdered jalapeno pepper
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1/4 cup cream
• 1 cup light sour cream
• 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 cups fat-free cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• salt and white pepper to taste
• 1 cup canned diced green chiles

Recipe

Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 40 mins Ready Time: 1 hr 5 mins


• preheat oven to 325 degrees f (165 degrees c). bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. add macaroni and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• in a large bowl, mix ground beef with adobo seasoning and powdered jalapeno pepper. roll into small, 1 inch meatballs. heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. add meatballs, and cook until browned on all sides, then remove to drain on a paper towel-lined plate. the meatballs do not need to be thoroughly cooked at this point as they will finish cooking in the oven.
• while the meatballs are cooking, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. gently cook the butter until it begins to brown, and acquires a nutty fragrance, about 1 minute. stir in the cream, sour cream, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, cotija cheese, garlic powder, and cilantro. bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until the cheese has melted. season to taste with salt and white pepper.
• stir the cooked macaroni and diced chiles into the cheese sauce, and pour into a 9x13 inch baking dish. slice the meatballs in half, and place the pasta cut-side down.
• bake in preheated oven until the cheese sauce is bubbly, and the meatballs are no longer pink in the center, about 25 minutes.