Mini Creamy Mexican Macaroni-and-Cheese

Mini Creamy Mexican Macaroni-and-Cheese

There is no more tempting dish than a creamy Macaroni and Cheese in my book. This version adds in the spice of Mexican food and makes it mini to aid both in portion size as well as for fun. Using non-fat milk takes out some of the fat with no cost to the rich creamy texture. Mexican-spiced chicken and/or turkey sausage adds more flavor and also slims down the fat content. Served with a side salad and you have a perfect comforting meal.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 50

Servings cocottes; 8-10 ramekins; or 6 main dish portions in a casserole

Calories 339kcal

Author Toni Dash

Ingredients

1 12- ounce package elbow pasta (I use Tinkyada Brown Rice Elbow pasta which is gluten free)
1 ½ teaspoons plus 3 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
½ cup Yellow Onion , chopped
2 tablespoons (gluten-free or regular) Flour
2 cups Non-Fat milk (higher fat percentage milk may be substituted)
1/2 cup Colby cheese , finely grated
½ cup Monterey Jack cheese , finely grated (Pepper Jack may be used)
½ cup Medium Cheddar cheese , finely grated
6 ounces Mexican-flavored pre-cooked Turkey and/or Chicken Sausages* , chopped (makes approximately 1 ¼ cups)
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 teaspoon ground Black Pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cooking container. Recipe makes 8 mini cocottes, 8-10 ramekins, and 12 muffin tins (though I found keeping the mac and cheese intact from the muffin tins difficult) or use a large casserole to hold up to 12 cups.
Boil water and prepare pasta to package instructions.
While pasta is cooking, melt 1 ½ teaspoons butter in a medium skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent; about 5 minutes. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat melt the 3 tablespoons butter. Whisk in the flour, as well as salt and pepper. When it is well combined, slowly pour in the milk whisking the whole time to avoid burning the mixture. Continue to whisk until the mixture begins to thicken noticeably (5-10 minutes).
Add the Colby, Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheeses to the flour/milk mixture and stir constantly until cheese has melted.
When pasta is cooked, rinse, drain well and return to the cooking pot. Pour in the cheese sauce, cooked onions, and chopped sausage; stir well to fully combine. Add more salt and pepper to taste if needed. Spoon into cooking container(s). If cooking in personal size containers cook 30 minutes and 40 minutes if in a casserole dish or until the macaroni develops a nice, brown crust on the top.
Remove from oven to cool slightly and serve.

Notes

*I used Applegate Fire-Roasted Red Pepper Chicken and Turkey sausage which uses red and jalapeno peppers as well as being organic and gluten-free. For those throwing caloric caution to the wind, 1 cup of cooked and drained chorizo sausage may be swapped out as well.

Nutrition