MACARRONES CON QUESO (MACARONI AND CHEESE, MEXICAN STYLE)

Macarrones Con Queso (Macaroni and Cheese, Mexican Style) image

Provided by @MakeItYours

Number Of Ingredients 14

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3 cups elbow pasta (I used whole grain pasta)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (12 ounce) package southwest blend frozen vegetables (alternatively you could use your own corn, black beans, poblano pepper, red pepper, and onions)
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (use more or less to adjust spiciness)
2 tablespoons butter (I used a vegan butter spread)
2 cups milk (I used almond milk)
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups Follow Your Heart Cheddar shreds
1 cup Follow Your Heart Fiesta shreds
1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 cups French fried onions (optional)

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Cook noodles until al dente, drain and set aside.
In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat, add the veggies and garlic and cook until warmed through and slightly soft.
Add the cumin, chili powder, and cayenne and stir to distribute.
Combine the vegetable mixture with the pasta, set aside and keep warm on low heat.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, mix in the milk, then the flour.
Add the cheese and stir until melted.
Combine the cheese mixture with the pasta and veggies and mix well.
Pour the mac and cheese into a 9x9 baking dish.
Sprinkle with bread crumbs and French fried onions.
Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil and bake for another 20 minutes.