Jalapeno Popper Mac N’ Cheese
Ingredients:
1lb dried pasta
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 jalapenos, diced
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 cup pepper jack cheese
4 ounces cream cheese softened
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
2/3 cup panko bread crumbs
2 teaspoons olive oil
kosher salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta for 6- 7 minutes or until tender but still has a bite to it. Drain.
Melt the butter in the same pot that you cooked the pasta in. Stir in jalapenos and cook just until softened, about 2 minutes. Whisk in flour. Cook 1 minute. Pour in milk. Stir in pepper jack and cream cheese. Cook until melted. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of seasoning salt. Stir in pasta. Adjust with more seasoning salt if needed.
Pour macaroni and cheese into a casserole dish. Sprinkle with panko bread crumbs. Drizzle olive oil over the top. Bake for 15 minutes or until pasta is bubbly. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 - 4 minutes or until panko bread crumbs have browned. Remove from oven, sprinkle lightly with salt.
