Baked Taco Mac and Cheese

Is your taco level low, but you’re really craving something in the comfort food realm…? This baked taco macaroni and cheese is an easy and delicious change.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups dry elbow macaroni, shells, or cavatappi
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 2 cups milk (not skim)
• 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
• 2 cups of shredded cheddar (or mexi-blend if you want!)
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 small can of spicy salsa (or about 1/4 cup of salsa)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a salted pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta until almost done (al dente).

While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a skillet or pot large enough to hold the pasta when it’s done.

Add the flour and stir over medium heat until the mixture is lightly browned (1-2 minutes).

Add the milk and whisk to remove any lumps. Add the salt and pepper.

Cook over medium-high heat until the sauce thickens and starts to bubble. About 6 minutes.

While this is happening, brown your ground beef, adding in cumin, chili powder, and 50% of the salsa.

Stir the cheese into the sauce and whisk until smooth and melted. Turn off the heat.

When the pasta is almost done but still firm, drain it and add to the sauce.

Add the meat to the pasta and sauce mixture. Pour into a greased 2 quart dish (or an 9 x 12 glass pan works pretty well). Dribble the rest o the salsa on top and bake for 20-25 minutes until browned and bubbly.