The Great Chili Cook Off Recipe #2

Did you hear that? It sounded like your elementary school's lunch bell. This recipe took us back to cafeteria memories. I suppose that's what happens when you add elbow macaroni to any recipe. Let me iterate that our memories are fond, unlike those of sitcom portrayals with old women in hairnets and mushy, unidentifiable dishes.

Recipe 2 of the Great Chili Cook Off is chili mac n' cheese. The recipe was adapted from The Country Cook and, unlike our first chili, is for carnivorous kids [at heart]. It is a really easy dish that provides some extra flavor you simply can't get from a hamburger helper box. It's simplicity [and the positive reactions from the peanut gallery at our house] have  solidified this recipe in our regular dinner rotation. In Michael's opinion, this chili will be giving the others a run for their money!

What you'll need...

For the Chili:

1-1/2 cup uncooked macaroni
1 pound ground beef [we used turkey]
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 can (15 oz.) kidney beans, drained [and rinsed]
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
1-1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
salt & pepper, to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 

For Garnish:

shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream (fat-free)

Let's Get Started...

1. Start by browning your ground turkey in the pot you will be using to stew your chili.

2. Simultaneously, bring about 2 cups of water to a boil with a dash of salt.

3. When the turkey is cooked through, add your chili ingredients and turn until well mixed.

4. Add macaroni to boiling water and cook as directed. Drain pasta and add to chili mixture.

5. Mix in about 1 cup of cheddar cheese until melted.

6. Stew for 10 to 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to keep macaroni moist.

7. Serve topped with shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream.

And that's it! This quick recipe is kid friendly and makes for co-worker envy-worthy leftovers. I would like to try to adapt this recipe for baked mac n' cheese muffin cups -- to make it easy to serve as individual appetizer portions. Of course, I will keep you posted on that!

Stay tuned for recipe 3, buffalo chicken chili. And let me know if you have tried any of these recipes or have recommendations for future chili cook off recipes.