Ingredients:
1
pound penne
1½
pounds ground beef
1
tablespoon ground cumin
1
tablespoon roasted ground coriander
1tablespoon
chili powder
Coarse
black pepper
1
large yellow onion, chopped
3-5
garlic cloves, chopped
1
jalepeño 2 tablespoons butter
2
tablespoons all-purpose flour
2
cups milk ¾ pound cheddar cheese (about 2½ cups)
¼
cup fresh cilantro leaves (a generous handful), chopped
½
cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (a few handfuls) chopped
1
14-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
Directions:
Preheat the broiler to high and position the rack 8
inches from the heat.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the
boiling water and cook the pasta until slightly undercooked—a little chewy at
the center.
While the water is coming to a boil, preheat a large
skillet over medium-high heat and brown the hamburger. When the hamburger is
almost finished, but still a little pink, throw in the garlic, jalepeño, and
onions and finish cooking until the burger is browned and the onion is
translucent. Drain the grease from the skillet and mix in the cumin, coriander
and chili powder. Take off the heat or turn heat down low.
In a medium sauce pot (and you can do this while
you’re browning the hamburger), melt the butter and add the flour to it. Cook
for 1 to 2 minutes over moderate heat and then whisk in the milk. When the milk
comes to a bubble, stir in the cheese, cilantro and parsley with a wooden
spoon. When the cheese has melted, stir in the tomatoes.
Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and add it back
into the large pot. Add the contents of the hamburger and all of the Cheddar
sauce, and stir to combine. Transfer to a baking dish, sprinkle with a bit more
cheese if you wish, and place under the broiler to lightly brown.
It says it makes 4 servings, but with a salad, can
easily feed 6! It was another hit in our house! I also think it would do well
in a crockpot to take to a potluck. Just add a bit more milk to the cheese
mixture so it doesn’t get too dried out.
