Comfort Food Classics: Macaroni and Cheese #ThrowbackThursday

Irresistible homemade Macaroni and Cheese made with American cheese, butter, and Mexican crema.

I have a confession to make.  When Hope was two years old, I introduced her to a new food, that quickly became her favorite...Macaroni and Cheese.  But not just any macaroni and cheese, it was the kind that comes in a blue box.  She loved it!  And every time we went to the grocery store, she would spot the blue box and scream "Mac-Cheese".  Whenever I wasn't sure of what to make her for lunch or dinner, she would say "Mac-Cheese!"  She was crazy about the stuff.

Fast forward to almost a year later, when we moved to Mexico.  Sure, Hope liked the food that my suegra prepared for her, but she still wanted her mac & cheese. This being a small town, far from the big city and large grocery stores, the stuff in the blue box was no where to be found. I did buy a few boxes of the different Mexican brands, but none of them came close to the yummy goodness of the stuff in the blue box.

Then began my desperate search for the perfect homemade version.  Some were baked.  Some had a bechamel sauce base.  But still, I hadn't found a recipe that was pleasing to my little girl's taste buds.

Finally, one day, I really didn't feel like making yet another bechamel sauce, so I decided to use a few shortcuts.  I cooked my macaroni according to package directions.  Then in a separate bowl,  I melted a little bit of butter, added some Mexican crema, a splash of milk, and oodles of good ol' American cheese.  To finish it off, I seasoned it with salt, pepper, and paprika before presenting it to my princess, Hope.   

I waited with bated breath as she tasted this easy stovetop macaroni and cheese.

She turned to me with a very serious look, then flashed me the biggest smile and said, "Mommy, this is the BEST mac & cheese EVER!" And I've made it the same way ever since.

Yield: 6 to 8 servingsAuthor: Leslie Limón

Macaroni & Cheese

Irresistible homemade Macaroni and Cheese made with American cheese, butter, and Mexican crema.

prep time: 10 MINScook time: 20 MINStotal time: 30 mins

ingredients:

• 8 oz. elbow macaroni pasta 
• 4 tablespoons butter 
• 3/4 cup Mexican crema 
• 1/4 cup milk
• 8 oz. American cheese slices 
• 3/4 teaspoon paprika 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 

instructions

1. Cook macaroni pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse with with cold water.
2. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in Mexican crema, milk, and American cheese slices. Stir with a wire whisk until cheese has melted completely. Season with paprika, ground black pepper, and salt to taste. 
3. Add the cooked macaroni, stirring gently until completely pasta is completely coated with the cheese sauce. Simmer over low heat until heated through. Remove from heat. Buen provecho! 

http://www.lacocinadeleslie.com/2010/08/ultimate-comfort-foodmac-n-cheese.html

©La Cocina de Leslie

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21 December 2017

Comfort Food Classics: Macaroni and Cheese #ThrowbackThursday

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Italian Pasta Salad #AtoZrecipechallenge

Creamy Italian Pasta Salad made with rotini pasta, bacon, salami, pepperoni, olives, Mexican crema, two types of cheese (parmesan and Manchego), and Italian dressing.

For today's recipe in my A to Z Recipe Challenge, I could not think of a Mexican recipe or ingredient with the letter I. (If you have any suggestions, let me know in the comments, in case I ever decide to do another A to Z Challenge.) Ice cream is always the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about foods that start with the letter I (we play a lot of Scattergories), but I already had an ice cream recipe planned for another letter of the alphabet, which I'll be posting later this week.

12 April 2017

Italian Pasta Salad #AtoZrecipechallenge

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Espagueti Verde #ThrowbackThursday

If I left our weekly or monthly menu planning up to Jack (my 10 year old son) we'd eat nothing but Refried Beans, spaghetti, french fries, and hot dogs. Maybe even all in the same day. Because Jack is such a picky eater I try to serve different versions of his favorite foods, like this Espagueti Verde, made with roasted poblano peppers, cilantro, and Mexican crema. So far my plan seems to be working, and thank goodness, because there was that unpleasant phase where he only wanted to eat spaghetti with ketchup.

19 November 2015

Espagueti Verde #ThrowbackThursday

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Secret Recipe Club: Pimento Cheese Pasta Salad

All the creamy and cheesy goodness of pimento cheese in a delicious pasta salad.

Happy November, friends! I can't believe it's already November. And it's the first Monday of the month which means it's time once again for The Secret Recipe Club. This month my assignment was Lori's Culniary Creations. Lori is a fun, spirited Harley Davidson-riding wife and stepmom with an amazing outlook on life:

"Today is life - the only life you are sure of. Make the most of today. Get interested in something. Shake yourself awake. Develop a hobby. Let the winds of enthusiasm sweep through you. Live today with gusto." 

Lori's brings her enthusiasm and sense of adventure to her blog which is filled with quick and easy on-the-go meals perfect for busy wives and moms looking to be a little more adventurous in the kitchen. I have a long list of Lori's recipes that I've added to my "to make" list including her Peachy Cream Crepes, Zucchini Stuffed Burgers, Avocado Kiwi Ice Cream w/ Caramel Swirl, Tomato Florentine Soup with Peanut Butter Crostini, and her Tropical Pumpkin Pie.

01 November 2015

Secret Recipe Club: Pimento Cheese Pasta Salad

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Bacon Chipotle Macaroni & Cheese

When sitting down to plan our weekly dinner menu I can count on two things...

1. Hubby will always request either Tacos de Papa (Potato Tacos) or BBQ Ribs with all the fixin's (including my Creamed Corn a la Mexicana).
2. Hope (my 16 year old daughter) will always request Macaroni & Cheese. 

Hope LOVES Macaroni & Cheese! She's loved macaroni & cheese ever since she was almost 2 years old and I'm pretty sure she always will. And I can't say that I blame her. Who doesn't love a bowl of creamy macaroni & cheese whether it be from that famous little blue box or homemade?!

Now as much as I love macaroni & cheese, I don't always want to eat the same thing over and over again day after day, or week after week. So, I try to mix things up a bit by stirring in different ingredients I have in the fridge or pantry to spice things up and hope that Hubby and the kiddies will like it. That is where the idea for this Bacon Chipotle Macaroni & Cheese came from. All of my kiddies love chipotle peppers and everybody loves bacon. Stir it all together with some homemade macaroni and cheese, and it's no surprise that it quickly became one of my go-to recipes. 

01 October 2014

Bacon Chipotle Macaroni & Cheese

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Comfort Food Classics: Sopa de Espagueti (Mexican Spaghetti)

Growing up I ate a lot of pasta.  There wasn't a day of the week that my grandmother didn't prepare some kind of pasta, except for the one day a week she'd make Mexican Rice.  Gramm always prepared her pasta the same way with onion, tomato, and tomato sauce just like her Sopa de Fideo Seco.  The only thing that changed from day to day was the shape of the pasta. One day she'd make macaroni, the next day she'd make Letras (letters), and the day after that she'd go back to making fideo (vermicelli).  The only pasta I can't recall my grandmother ever making is spaghetti, even though Gramm always referred to her Sopa de Fideo as Mexican Spaghetti. 

But Mexican Spaghetti is actually a completely different recipe.  My recipe combines elements from both my suegra's recipe for Sopa de Espagueti, which my kiddies remember fondly, and the recipe of a good friend of mine who is originally from Morelia, Michoacan (here in Mexico), which was the first kind of Mexican Spaghetti I'd ever tasted.  My suegra's recipe for Sopa de Espagueti is fairly simple: spaghetti, some butter, and a box of tomato sauce. The real secret to her Sopa de Espagueti was in how she cooked the spaghetti.  She'd add half an onion to the cooking water, along with a cube of Knorr Suiza (chicken bouillon). My friend's recipe included making your own sauce with pureed tomato and onion, very much like Sopa de Fideo. The secret to my friend's amazing spaghetti was that she added Mexican crema to the sauce.

By combining both of those delicious recipes, we get the best of both worlds.  Mexican Spaghetti is a favorite in our house.  It makes an appearance on our table about once a week.  Sometimes as a side dish, and sometimes as the main dish.

Sopa de Espagueti (Mexican Spaghetti)


Ingredients:

• 8 cups water
• 1/2 medium onion
• 1 cube chicken flavored bouillon (I use Knorr Suiza)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 (6 to 8oz.) package uncooked spaghetti (I used a 200gr. package) 
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
• 3/4 cup Mexican crema
• Garlic salt
• Ground black pepper
• Queso Fresco

Directions: 
Bring the water, onion, chicken flavored bouillon cube, and salt to a boil over high heat in a deep skillet or saucepan.  Add the spaghetti, reduce heat to medium and let cook for about 15 minutes or until the spaghetti is completely cooked. Drain the spaghetti (DO NOT RINSE) and set aside; discard the onion.

In the same skillet you cooked the spaghetti melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the tomato sauce and Mexican crema. Stir well with a wire whisk to combine; season with garlic salt and ground black pepper. Stir in the cooked spaghetti and toss gently to cover noodles with sauce.  Reduce heat to low and let cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Sprinkle crumbled queso fresco all over the spaghetti. Cover skillet and let sit for about 5 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!

Receta en Español 

Sharing this post w/ Your Best Recipes (YBR) hosted by SpicieFoodie.

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04 January 2014

Comfort Food Classics: Sopa de Espagueti (Mexican Spaghetti)

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Pollo a la Crema #SundaySupper

Lately, I haven't had as much time to spend in my cocina as usual.  What with me returning to teach ESL part-time and the kiddies going back to school last week, our life as of late has been a non-stop whirlwind of activity.

To help me maintain a certain level of sanity, it's important for me to plan our meals for each week.  Then on weekends, we try to do most of our grocery shopping, so that the fridge and pantry are well stocked and I rarely ever find myself wondering or stressing about what I'm going to make for lunch.

With all the busy-ness that surrounds us, the time of day I most look forward to is lunchtime.  As many of you know, lunch in Mexico is our biggest meal of the day and it's eaten at around 2pm.  Most businesses close for lunch from 2 to 4, which means Hubby has plenty of time to relax and enjoy a hearty meal, as do the kiddies who are home from school by then too.  During lunch, our dining room is always abuzz with laughter and conversations about school, homework, work, and whatever else is going on in our lives at that moment.  Lunchtime for me is a time to nourish our bodies and our hearts.

Of course, there are those unexpected days, where I spend most of the morning out of the house, probably attending a parent-teacher conference or helping Hubby in the shop.  And I'm left with maybe half an hour to prepare lunch.  That's when I turn to one of my favorite go-to meals that is quick and easy to prepare, delicious, and something the whole family loves...Pollo a la Crema.   Tender pieces of chicken breast, with sauteed mushrooms, onion, and garlic, in a creamy sauce made with Mexican crema and a splash of white wine.  Add some cooked pasta or leftover rice and you've got yourself a very tasty meal.

What are some of your favorite go-to meals on busy weeknights?

Pollo a la Crema 

Ingedients:

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in strips or cubes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup white wine or chicken broth
• 2 cups Mexican crema 
• Fresh cilantro (for garnish) 
• Parmesan cheese (optional) 

Directions:
Season the chicken strips with salt and pepper.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken to the skillet and saute until the chicken is thoroughly cooked.  Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.

Melt the butter in the same skillet the chicken was cooked in.  Add the onion and garlic and saute for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep the garlic from burning.  Add the mushrooms and continue to cook for about 5 minutes.  Stir in the white wine or chicken broth to deglaze the pan.

Stir in the Mexican crema, until well combined.  Season the sauce with salt and pepper.

Return the chicken to the sauce, cover and simmer until the chicken is heated through.

Serve over cooked fettuccine or Mexican Rice.  Top with chopped cilantro and a little (or a lot of) Parmesan cheese.  Enjoy!!!






This post is my first for the #SundaySupper, created by Family Foodie, whose mission is to encourage families to gather Around the Family Table.  This week's theme is quick and easy Back to School meals, hosted by The Daily Dish Recipes.

Looking for more quick and easy meal ideas now that the kiddies have gone back to school? Check out this awesome line up of recipes for this Sunday.

• • Greek Dogs by Supper For a Steal
  • Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad by Magnolia Days
  • Double Duty Fajita Chicken: Nachos Supreme and Enchiladas by Doggie at the Dinner Table 
  • Zucchini, Corn and Bacon Crepes by  Vintage Kitchen
  • Oregon Shrimp Quesadillas by Pescetarian Journal 
  • Korean omelet rice by Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
  • Lemon Dillled Salmon Croquette Burgers by Granny’s Down Home Southern Cooking
  • Gluten Free Pepper Steak with Rice by  No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
  • Crispy Ravioli in Cherry Tomato Sauce by Shockingly Delicious
  • BLT Soup by Meal Planning Magic
  • Korean Pan-Fried Fish by Kimchi Mom
  • Stove top mac ‘n cheese by Gotta Get Baked
  • Deconstructed Enchiladas by In the Kitchen with KP
  • Croque Monsieurs  by Juanita’s Cocina
  • Summer Squash and Mushroom Quesadillas by Chocolate Moosey
  • Seared Lamb on a bed of Mashed potatoes with Artichoke Hearts by Cooking Underwriter 
  • Pasta with Creamy Kale Pesto by Webicurean 
  • Baked Spanish Tortilla by Happy Baking Days
  • Grilled Chicken Caesar Pizza by In the Kitchen with Audrey
  • Chicken Pasta with Spinach and Beans by The Lemon Bowl
  • Tomato Pie by My Catholic Kitchen
  • Shredded Chicken in Peanut Sauce Tacos w/ Corn & Zucchini Sauté by GirliChef
  • Tomatillo Chicken Stew by Small Wallet, Big Appetite
  • Pollo a la Crema by La Cocina de Leslie
  • Baked Tilapia Fish Tacos by Home Cooking Memories
  • Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken with a Yogurt Dill sauce and a Greek Salad by Noshing with the Nolands
  • Wagon Wheel Pasta with Pancetta & Peas by Chelsea’s Culinary Indulgence
  • Lemon & Dill Shrimp Pasta w/ Oven Roast Corn by Mama, Mommy, Mom
  • Ricotta – Tofu Tomato Toasts by Yummy Smells
  • One Pot Spicy Asian Chicken and Rice by Hezzi D
  • Turkey Italian Brown Rice Casserole by Momma’s Meals
  • Flatbread Pizza with Cilantro Garlic Sauce by Mom’s Test Kitchen
  • Cashew Chicken Stir-fry by Diabetic Foodie
  • Chicken Bacon Avocado Quesadillas by Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
  • Roasted Butternut Lo Mein by The Meltaways
  • Potluck Casserole with Cornbread Stuffing by Cindy’s Recipes & Writings
  • Jerk Chicken Chili by Mrs. Mama Hen
  • Loaded Chicken and Steak Stuffed Potatoes by Big Bears Wife
  • Steamed Tofu Serve with Fried Mix Vegetables by My Trials in the Kitchen
  • Pasta with sausage and cherry tomatoes by Tora’s Real Food
  • Chicken Ravioli with Peas and Bacon by Daddy Knows Less
  • Quick N Easy Thai Coconut Shrimp Stir Fry by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
  • Whole Wheat Pizza with Hummus & Fresh Greens by Family Spice
  • Speedy ‘n Spicy Shrimp Pasta. Will be dinner this Friday by The Weekend Gourmet
  • End of Summer Grilled Peach and Chicken Salad by Sustainable Dad
  • Teriyaki Tuna Bowl by Family Foodie
  • Weeknight Stir Fry by From Fast Food to Fresh Food
  • Baked Egg with Mushrooms and Bacon by Pippi’s in the Kitchen Again
  • Taco Bake by Daily Dish Recipes
  • Fried Rice and Black Beans by Mama’s Blissful Bites
  • Chicken with Broccoli, Sun-dried Tomatoes and Bow Ties by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
  • Pasta in Tomato sauce and turkey meatballs by Basic & Delicious
  • Pasta Primavera by Midlife Road Trip
  • Tots Your Tots Will Love by The Hand that Rocks the Ladle

Please be sure you join us on Twitter throughout the day on Sunday. We’ll be meeting up at 7:00 p.m. EST for our weekly #SundaySupper live chat where we’ll talk about Back to School Meals and ways to make meal time easier!

All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, or you can follow us throughTweetChat! We’ll be sharing great recipes and tips all afternoon, and we’ll be talking all things Back to School Meals during our chat!

We’d also love to feature your Back to School Recipes on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board and share them with all of our followers!

26 August 2012

Pollo a la Crema #SundaySupper

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Comfort Food Classics: Sopa de Fideo Seco {She Made / Ella Hace}

This month, for She Made / Ella Hace, Heather (Girlichef) suggested we share one of my favorite classic Mexican dishes: Sopa de Fideo.  Yes, I know that I've already shared my recipe for a soupy version, but there's more than one way to prepare this comforting sopa.

When I was growing up, there wasn't a week that I didn't eat Sopa de Fideo.  On weekends or rainy afternoons, my grandpa would prepare his soupy Sopa de Fideo.   And at least once a week, Gramm made a drier version called Sopa de Fideo seco.  To be honest, it was just like any other Sopa de Pasta, but Gramm added a little something extra to make it really stand out...lots and lots of shredded cheese, that would melt it's way into every bite of tomato-y pasta.  It was the only thing I wanted to eat when I was a little girl, and all these years later, it continues to be one of my favorites.

Sopa de Fideo (seco) 

Ingredients:

• 7 oz. dried fideo noodles (about 1-1/2 cups) 
• 2 roma tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 cups chicken broth 
• 1 (8oz.) can tomato sauce
• 1 to 2 dried chiles de arbol, roughly chopped (optional)
• 1 cup shredded cheese (I used queso fresco) 

Directions: 

Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Saute the fideo noodles, stirring constantly (to prevent the noodles from burning), until the noodles turn a deep golden brown.

Add the tomato, onion, garlic, and arbol chilies; continue to saute for 1 to 2 minutes.

Reduce heat to low.  Slowly pour in the chicken broth and tomato sauce.  Stir to combine; season lightly with salt.  (You can substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth.) 

Cover the skillet and let the Sopa de Fideo simmer until all of the liquid has been absorbed.

Remove from heat.  Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the cooked Sopa de Fideo.  Cover and let the residual heat melt the cheese.  (About 5 minutes.)

Enjoy!!! 

Be sure to visit Girlichef to check out her Sopa de Fideo!

23 April 2012

Comfort Food Classics: Sopa de Fideo Seco {She Made / Ella Hace}

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Food 'N Flix: Eat. Pray. Love. {Spaghetti al Pomodoro}

For Food 'n Flix this month (January), hosted by The Law Student's Cookbook, the movie was Eat. Pray. Love.



For me, this was all the excuse I needed to finally finish watching this movie in its entirety.  I started to watch it when it was released here on DVD, but just when Julia Robert's character was arriving in India, company came over.  I don't remember what else happened that day, but for some reason I never finished the movie.

I love a good chick flick.  I'm a huge Julia Roberts fan.  And this movie was directed by Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy.  (I ♥ Glee!)  On paper, this should have been the perfect movie for me.  But the truth is, and I hope you won't hold it against me, I wasn't crazy about this movie.  (I wasn't all that crazy about the book either.)

Don't get me wrong.  There were parts I loved.  Hello, Javier Bardem!  But my favorite part was the whole Italy experience.  I would love to visit Italy.  Even though I'm pretty sure I'd never want to leave.  I'd love to learn the language.  But most of all, I would love to surround myself with all of that glorious food.  Aside from Mexican food, it's one of my all-time favorite cuisines.

That's why, before I even sat down to watch the movie, I headed into the kitchen to prepare a simple, yet absolutely satisfying Spaghetti al Pomodoro.  Pomodoro is the Italian word for tomato.  So this dish is really just spaghetti in a simple tomato sauce.  But it sounds so much nicer in Italian.  And I'm pretty sure it's what Julia Roberts is eating in the  trailer above. (1:48)

If you like dinner and a movie, then you should join us for Food 'n Flix next month, hosted by Deb at Kahakai Kitchen.  The movie is one of my favorites...My Big Fat Greek Wedding!

Spaghetti al Pomodoro

Ingredients:

• 6 to 8 oz. spaghetti  (I used 200gr.) 
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
• 6 Roma tomatoes
• 1/2 medium onion (optional) 
• 1 to 2 cloves garlic
• Fresh basil
• Red Pepper flakes

Directions:
Cook the spaghetti according to package directions in a pot of boiling water.  While the spaghetti is cooking, chop the tomatoes, onion and garlic.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  (I used my Chile de Arbol Olive Oil for extra flavor.)  Stir in the chopped tomatoes, onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper.  Traditional Pomodoro sauce doesn't include onions.  But I love the added flavor and texture they bring to the dish.

Reduce heat to low and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are completely cooked.  At this point, you can puree the sauce with an immersion blender OR if you're like me and you like a chunky sauce with bits of tomato, just mash the tomatoes with the back of a large serving spoon.

Drain the spaghetti, reserving a little of the cooking water in case your tomato sauce is too thick.  Toss the spaghetti with the sauce.  Season with salt (if needed) and red pepper flakes.

Garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving.  Enjoy!!!

*I apologize for some of the bright pictures.  I'm still adjusting to working with the new light fixture in my kitchen and I was forced to use my camera's flash. I am just so happy to have electricity once again!  



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28 January 2012

Food 'N Flix: Eat. Pray. Love. {Spaghetti al Pomodoro}

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Poblano Macaroni & Cheese

When I saw that one of the recipes for Week 2 of The Homesick Texan Spotlight & Cook-Off was for Poblano Macaroni & Cheese, I knew I had to try it.  I love Macaroni & Cheese and I love Poblanos, so having them both together in one delicious recipe sounded like a match made in heaven.  Like peanut butter & chocolate.  Beans & rice.  And limón y sal.  (Lime & salt.) 

And a perfect match they were.  I may not be a Homesick Texan, but I am a homesick Gringa and the smoky, spicy goodness of this macaroni and cheese, seasoned with ancho chile powder and ground cumin, is everything Tex-Mex should be.

I couldn't get enough.

I will definitely be making this again! 

Poblano Macaroni & Cheese
(from The Homesick Texan Cookbook by Lisa Fain)

Ingredients:

• 2 poblano chiles
• 8 oz. elbow macaroni (I used two 200gr. packages of serpentina tricolor)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1-3/4 cups whole milk
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder or chicken bouillon
• 1/4 teaspoon chile powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 teaspoon grated lime zest
• 12 oz. grated Manchego or Chihuahua cheese

Directions:
Roast the poblano peppers directly over an open flame, until the skin has charred and blistered.  Place the poblano peppers in a plastic bag for 5 to 10 minutes.  (This causes the chilies to sweat, making it much easier to remove the skin.)

Remove the charred skin from the poblano peppers, along with the seeds and stem.  Chop the poblano peppers into small pieces.  (This would be a good time to chop the cilantro and grate the lime zest.)

Boil the macaroni/pasta in a pot of boiling, salty water for about 5 minutes.  You want the pasta to be "al dente".  

Don't you love my Serpentina Tricolor? 

While the pasta is cooking, generously grease a baking/casserole dish with butter.  Drain the pasta and pour it into the baking dish; set aside.

And now for the cheese sauce...

Preheat oven to 350F.  Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over low heat.  Add garlic and sauté one minute.  Stir in the flour and let cook until a light golden brown. 

Gradually pour in the milk, whisking constantly to avoid lumps from forming.  Let cook until the sauce thickens.  Remove from heat.  Stir in the chicken bouillon, chili powder, ground cumin, lime zest, cilantro and chopped poblanos.  Season with salt and pepper.

Add half of the cheese and stir until melted. 

Pour the sauce over the pasta and stir until well combined. 

Top with remaining cheese. 

Bake at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes.  Enjoy!!!

*This post is part of The Homesick Texan Cookbook Spotlight and Cook-Off sponsored by Hyperion and hosted at girlichef.

09 September 2011

Poblano Macaroni & Cheese

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