Macaroni & Cheese Recipes

Tex-Mex Macaroni & Cheese

Tillamook® Mexican Blend Shredded Cheese

Ingredients

8 ounces uncooked corn pasta large macaroni noodles (found in most organic sections of the grocery store. If unable to find, use regular large elbow macaroni)
4 quarts water
1 tablespoons salt

Sauce
1 stick (1/2 cup) Tillamook® Unsalted Butter (plus extra for buttering baking dish)
1 1/2 cups onion, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon freshly grated lime zest
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (or to taste)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 quart heavy cream
1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
2 tablespoon freshly minced cilantro (stems only)
4 cups Tillamook® Mexican Blend Cheese

Topping
2 cups Tillamook® Mexican Blend Cheese
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) Tillamook® Unsalted Butter
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds), chopped
dash of salt

Garnish (optional)
1 cup Tillamook® Sour Cream
2 teaspoon cilantro leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon green onions (light green portion), chopped
1/2 teaspoon lime zest, grated

Preparation

Butter the bottom and sides of a large ceramic or glass-baking dish: 10"x20"x2” deep. Position oven rack to the center position in the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter in 4 quart, heavy-duty, non-stick pot over medium low heat. Add onion, garlic and lime zest and sweat over medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes - do not allow this to brown. Add Worcestershire and Tabasco sauce and cook for 30 seconds, scraping up any browned bits in the bottom of the pan. Add cumin and celery salt. Stir in flour and cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes, continuously scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Whisk in cream until mixture is smooth and bring it up to a low simmer. Add oregano and cilantro. Stirring frequently, cook cream sauce over low heat for 15 minutes. Cream will reduce and sauce will thicken to about 3/4 volume. Stir in Mexican blend cheese until thoroughly melted.

While sauce is reducing: In a separate large pot, bring 4 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil. Cook corn macaroni according to package directions (about 7-8 minutes), until cooked but still a little firm (al dente). Drain and set aside, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water. (This can be done while the cream sauce is reducing.)

Carefully stir cooked macaroni into the cheese sauce until combined, adding the 1/2 cup of cooking water to thin the sauce a bit. Very carefully, pour entire hot mixture into baking dish and lightly smooth out the top with the back of a spoon.

Topping: Combine butter and chili powder in a microwave safe dish (large enough to hold dry ingredients); melt butter in microwave on "high" for 30 seconds, or until melted. Stir butter and add Panko breadcrumbs, cornmeal, pepitas and salt. Mix together with a fork until crumbs are moist.

Sprinkle a thick layer of the Mexican Blend cheese evenly over the top of the dish, and then finish with the breadcrumb mixture. Bake uncovered in the center position of the oven for 30-45 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and the top is a light golden brown.

Blend sour cream with cilantro, green onions and lime zest. Garnish each serving with a dollop of flavored cream cheese. "