Southwestern Macaroni and Cheese with Adobo Meatballs

This was roughly converted from metric measurements.

Here is a link to it:

http://www.yummly.co/recipe/Southwestern-Macaroni-And-Cheese-With-Adobo-Meatballs-Allrecipes?prm-v1&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=recoemail

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package elbow macaroni
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 Tbsp plus 2 Tsp adobo seasoning
• 1/3 oz powdered jalapeno pepper
• 1/2 oz olive oil
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 2 oz cream
• 8 oz. light sour cream
• 2 1/4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 2 1/4 cups fat-free cottage cheese
• 2-3 Tbsp crumbled cotija cheese
• 1/4 Tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 Tsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 Cup canned diced green chiles
• salt and white pepper to taste

Directions

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 onto 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.

Mac and Cheese

From Epicurious.com

Ingredients

For the topping:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 ounces finely grated Parmesan (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the macaroni and sauce:

• 1 pound dried elbow macaroni
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 cups whole milk
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces coarsely grated Swiss cheese (about 3 cups)
• 8 ounces coarsely grated Gruyere cheese (about 3 cups)
• 2 ounces grated Parmesan (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons mustard powder

Special equipment: 9- by 13-inch baking dish

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in the middle of oven. Butter the baking dish. Set a large, covered pot of salted water over high heat to boil.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, heat butter and oil until butter foam subsides. Add panko and garlic; cook, stirring, until crumbs are golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer crumbs to a medium bowl, stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan and salt, and set aside.

Add macaroni to boiling salted water and cook until just al dente (avoid overcooking). Drain macaroni and set aside. In a large wide pot over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Sprinkle flour over butter, whisking to incorporate and make a roux. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until roux is light golden, about 4 minutes. Gradually pour in milk and cream, whisking constantly to incorporate and make a béchamel sauce. Raise heat to medium-high and bring sauce to a low boil, whisking constantly. Reduce to a simmer, whisking occasionally, and cook until béchamel sauce is thick and coats the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes more.

Add the salt, pepper, and mustard powder. Add the cheeses in three batches, whisking until each addition is completely melted before adding more. Remove from heat.

Add the drained macaroni to the pot with the cheese sauce and stir well to coat. Transfer macaroni mixture to the buttered baking dish and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle topping evenly over macaroni and bake until golden and bubbling, 18 to 23 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.