Chili Mac

One of my favorite meals when I lived in the dorms during college was chili mac. I remember it used to show up in the cafeteria once every two weeks in the fall/winter months and I'd always look at the menu that was posted online to see if it was being served. It seriously was my favorite comfort foods as a college kid. Anyway, it was unusually cold in Houston for the last few days and I started craving chili mac for dinner. I decided to try the America's Test Kitchen recipe and it was amazing! Totally hit the spot on a cold day. Dr. Sweetpea was also a fan of this meal so this is definitely going in our dinner rotation. 

Chili Mac

(Source: America's Test Kitchen)

Salt

1/2         pound elbow macaroni (about 2 cups uncooked pasta)

3              tablespoons vegetable oil

1 1/2      pounds 85 percent lean ground beef

2              medium onions, chopped medium

1              red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped medium

6              medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press

2              tablespoons chili powder

1              tablespoon ground cumin

1              (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1              (28-ounce) can tomato puree

1              tablespoon light or dark brown sugar

8              ounces Colby Jack cheese, shredded (about 2 2/3 cups)

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and the macaroni; cook until al dente, about 5 minutes. Reserve ¾ cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta. Transfer the pasta to a bowl and set aside.

Wipe the Dutch oven dry. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and return to medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the beef and cook, breaking up the pieces with a wooden spoon, until it is no longer pink and beginning to brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain the beef through a colander, discarding the drippings, and set it aside.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the Dutch oven and return to medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onions, red pepper, garlic, chili powder, and cumin; cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, about 7 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato puree, brown sugar, the reserved pasta water, and the drained beef; bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the flavors have melded, about 20 minutes.

Stir in the cooked pasta and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish (or a shallow casserole dish of similar size) and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted and browned, about 15 minutes. Cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.