From My Kitchen: Chili Mac

It’s chilly again here in NYC. That’s April for ya. Is it April? I’ve been ordered to stay home by Governor Mario Cuomo, and it’s not that bad, once you consider why all this is all happening. Lord knows, I needed the rest, I’ve been working 40 plus (mostly plus) hours a week, while maintaining my food blog, juggle social media, and do whatever else you need to do in order to keep a halfway normal lifestyle. Even when I get out of town, it’s usually packed with dinners, reservations, activities, it’s not exactly restful. So yes, I juggle my “free time” with boredom and rest. And lots of cooking. I hope you also rest plenty, and cook lots of new recipes. This Chili Mac & Cheese is both easy and yummy. It can feed a whole family for dinner, or if you’re alone or quarantining with a partner, you’ll have enough for at least a couple of days.

What you’ll need:

  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 2 medium onions, diced
  • 1 jalapeños, stemmed and minced
  • 1 tbsp salt, plus more for pasta
  • 5 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp oregano
  • 2 tbsp garlic, minced
  • 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomato
  • 2 cans kidney beans
  • 1 pound elbow macaroni
  • 1 pound sharp cheddar cheese

Heat olive oil in a Dutch Oven or large pot. Add beef, onions, jalapeños, garlic, and 2 tsp salt, and cook for 2 minutes. Brown the meat, breaking up lumps with a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes, 1/2 cup of water, stir, and bring the chili to a boil. Add chili powder and oregano. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. While the chili is simmering, prepare the elbow pasta according to the instructions. Place a 9 x 13 inch oven proof dish, and add the pasta. Add 1/3 off the cheddar cheese.

Add the chili, then top off with the remaining cheddar cheese. Bake until heated through, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Serve with sour cream.

Bon Appétit!

Author: Gotham Foodie

Hello there, fellow foodies! My name is Erica, I was born and raised in Germany, and moved to the US, New York City to be exact, in July of 1987. I have worked most of my time here in the Big Apple as a bartender, but my true love is food. I cook just about every day, I search for good food everywhere, and pretty much always find it. I don't consider myself a food critic, I don't have the culinary background for that kind of expertise. I do however know good food, good chefs and good restaurants. I report back about my culinary adventures, and I choose to leave out my unsatisfactory experiences. We have enough negativity in our daily lives, I don't want to add to that. All the recipes in my FROM MY KITCHEN and DOTW blogs are cooked and prepared by me. All pictures are taken by me. I don't always eat everything you see in my pictures, but you bet your buns, I do try everything. Last but not least, you should know that I am a huge Top Chef fan. I have never missed an episode of the Bravo TV show. I have at this point visited almost 20 restaurants run by Top Chef contestants, and I'm continuously impressed by their skill, drive and passion. So I will continue to seek them out, and I hope you join me in my journey!

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