Jalapeno Popper Macaroni & Cheese

First, I would just like to link to Lisa’s blog because she made the most awesome LEGO cake and I think everyone should see it. She’s always making great things so add it to your list of must-reads.

Tonight, I decided to try to make jalapeno popper macaroni & cheese. I was inspired to create this recipe from all of the jalapeno popper recipes that I’ve seen on Pinterest.

♥ Related: “White Baked Ziti

I made a stove-top type of macaroni and cheese rather than a baked version because it’s a week night and I just wanted to get dinner on the table — by on the table I mean in my lap as we watched TV — and didn’t want to wait an extra 30-minutes to heat a casserole through. To save time, I also cooked the entire recipe in just one pot. I cooked the pasta, drained it, and then made the rest of the recipe in the same pot.

♥ Related: Chicken Chile Rellenos with Cilantro Lime Crema

This jalapeno popper macaroni & cheese came out nicely spicy but not over-the-top. The three cheeses I used all brought something different to the party: sharp cheddar for pop, goat cheese for creaminess, and Parmesan for saltiness. Plus, I used bacon so there’s no way it can be bad. I’ll be making this again, for sure!

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Jalapeno Popper Macaroni & Cheese

Jalapeno popper inspired creamy, stove top macaroni and cheese. Quick, easy, and full of spice and everything nice (read: cheese!)

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Side Dish

Keyword Bacon, Cheese, Jalapeno Peppers, Pasta, Poblano Peppers

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 2 slices bacon diced small
• 1 tbsp butter
• ½ small onion diced small
• 1 jalapeno pepper membrane and seeds removed, diced small
• 1 poblano pepper membrane and seeds removed, diced small
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups milk whole milk or 2%, warm
• 2 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese shredded
• 2 oz goat cheese
• 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese grated
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• salt to taste
• 4 cups cooked pasta of your choice I like elbows, shells, or bowties for this recipe

Instructions

• Heat a medium pot over medium heat and add the bacon and butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon renders and starts to turn brown and crispy. Add the onions, peppers, and garlic. Stir. Cover and turn the heat down to medium-low.

  Cook the vegetables and bacon for about 5 minutes or until the onions and peppers are cooked through and soft.
• Sprinkle the mixture with the flour and stir to combine well. The flour will appear to get sucked up by the vegetables. Cook flour for a minute or two. Slowly whisk in the milk.
• Turn the heat up to medium and continue to whisk. Once the milk begins to simmer and thicken, add the cheeses. Whisk until smooth. Stir in the cumin and add salt to taste.
• Add the cooked pasta to the pot and stir until all of the pasta is covered with the cheese mixture. Serve — and smile as you scarf it up!

Notes

• You could substitute cream cheese for the goat cheese if you want. I like the slight tang that goat cheese brings, but mostly it’s there for creaminess and cream cheese will bring plenty.