Spicy Chorizo & Roasted Red Pepper Mac & Cheese

 

This week after eating out and running all over Seattle I wanted homemade comfort food and pajama pants. Mac & cheese is my ultimate comfort food, It may also just be my favorite food. I wanted to mix it up though and thrown in some extra goodies, Keystone style (a mac & cheese place in Cincy)

I roasted a red pepper, threw in jalapenos and some good chorizo sausage melted together with freshly grated pepperjack cheese. Yeah, mmm!

 

Spicy Chorizo & Roasted Red Pepper Mac & Cheese:

1 red bell pepper
1/2 lb chorizo sausage; not in casings
1 shallot; diced
2 jalapenos; diced
2 tbs butter
2 tbs flour
2 cups pepperjack cheese; shredded
3 oz. cotija cheese
2 cups milk
1 tbs djon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
8 oz spiral noodles
cilantro

1    put oven on high broil and roast red pepper, rotate as sides blacken, remove red pepper from oven once soft, then remove skin and seeds and slice pepper
2    cook chorizo in pan until browned and add in shallot and jalapenos, cook 2-3 minutes
3    boil water and cook pasta until al dente, strain and set aside
4    preheat oven to 350 degrees F
5    in a medium pot melt butter on medium heat and whisk in flour (a roux), once it bubbles let cook for a minute then slowly whisk in milk. Add in pepperjack and cotija cheese, whisk until melted
6    stir in mustard, salt, pepper, cayenne, red peppers and chorizo mixture
7    put pasta in a 9x13 dish and pour cheese mixture overtop, stir together
8    bake in oven for 15-20 minutes, cheese should be bubbling, and top each plate with a little cilantro