Smmmokin'

One of my sisters recently sent me a link for a Rachel Ray homemade mac and cheese recipe. Although there are countless recipes and variations on this traditional favorite, this particular recipe struck me because of its unique flavors and stove top cooking method. So last week I grabbed the special ingredients I would need - spiral pasta, smoked cheddar (found in the fancy cheese section, not with the regular block cheese), and chipotle chilis in adobo sauce. Friday night was testing time.

Smoky Chipotle and Cheddar Mac

Overall rating: 4/5

So, if you look at the recipe it actually calls for chorizo, but I wanted to make a meatless mac and cheese so I just left that part out. The only other change I made was substituting 2% milk for the whole milk, which I fear may have been my fatal mistake. The flavors of the dish were wonderful - the combination of the smoked cheddar, spicy tomatoes, and chilis in adobo sauce gave it a unique smoky and spicy flavor that tasted unlike anything I have had before. The problem was in the cheese sauce... not sure if the 2% milk just caused it to be too thin, or that the cheese didn't properly combine with the milk, but I didn't get that thick, creamy consistency that you would want. Next time I think I need to either reduce the amount of milk or stock or try the whole milk and see what kind of difference that makes. I've read some of the reviews and it sounds like some others had similar problems with a runny sauce. 

The best part of this recipe is that it made a LOT (I know it says 4-6 servings, but I'd definitely say it is on the 6 serving side), so we have been able to eat leftovers. My husband and I found that just melting a piece of American cheese in and adding a little salt really brought this dish together to make it creamy and cheesy. 

If you try this one, I'd be curious to hear how yours turns out.  Those who are a bit more sensitive to spicy foods should beware - you may want to try a milder flavor of diced tomatoes or only add one chili instead of two.