There are very few meals as a child I remember my mom making. It’s not because she was a bad cook, I just wasn’t ever really interested in food (which could come as quite a shock now!) However I do remember while growing up, I ate a lot of kraft mac and cheese so when my mom would actually make her homemade mac and cheese- I would jump for joy. Mac and cheese has always been a staple in my home. Yet, I am always looking to take new spins on my some of my favorite classic recipes.
My mac and cheese is usually stuffed full of greens and veggies (makes me feel a little less guilty about all the pasta I am consuming.) So when I was watching the next food network star and one girl paired fajitas with mac and cheese, I got an idea. Now even though the judges didn’t think the combination went well together, I decided to throw both ideas into one meal: fajita mac and cheese. The combination of peppers, onions, and queso fresco make this a great update for a classic recipe.
So try something new with your mac and cheese. One warning though: I used fresno peppers (seeded) and my macaroni was still a bit hot so if you have people who aren’t a big fan of spicy, sub or leave out these peppers.
- 1 medium onion
- 1 none green pepper
- 2 none fresno peppers
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup cilantro
- 2 tablespoon flour
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup milk
- 1½ cup queso fresco
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
- 8 ounce pasta
- 1avocado and cilantro for topping
- Pre-heat oven to 375˚.
- Prepare pasta according to box and drain In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook peppers and onions until they begin to soften. Stir in cilantro and cook for 1-2 more minutes. Set aside.
- In a small sauce pan, melt butter over medium low heat (be careful not to walk away- you don’t want browned butter.) Whisk in flour and salt/pepper- create what looks like a paste. Finally, whisk in milk and turn the heat up to medium. Continue to whisk, making sure you get the edges of the pan, until the mixture begins to thicken. The sauce should look slightly creamy. Remove from heat and stir in the queso fresco.
- Mix pasta and veggies together in a 9 x 11 baking dish(or feel free to use whatever baking dish you have around.) Stir in cheese sauce and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes until cheese is bubbly. Remove from oven and top with avocado/cilantro.
- *You can easily add chicken- dice and cook with the peppers and onions.
- *I’ve read a few people making this dish suggest to double to the sauce recipe if you want a creamier version. I tend to cut calories out of dishes which means usually less sauce. If you don’t mind the few extra calories, double away!
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