Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese
If you like jalapeno poppers, you have to try this mac and cheese with all the flavor and crunch of a jalapeno popper over artisan Della Terra pasta.
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Ingredients
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- 1 (12) ounce package Della Terra Campanelle pasta
- 1 lb Bar-S Thick-Cut Bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
- 1 stick Hiland Butter
- 1/2 cup Shawnee Mills All Purpose Flour
- 1 cup Hiland Milk
- 1 cup Hiland Half-and-Half
- 1 (8 ) ounce package cream cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 cups Loveras Caciocavera cheese, shredded
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper
- 1/4 cup Ace in the Bowl Salsa
- 2 jalapenos, sliced
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- Cook pasta according to package directions. As pasta is cooking, cook bacon until crisp, and then crumble.
- Melt butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add flour, stirring for about 2 minutes or until light brown. Gradually add milk and a half and a half, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil until thickened and smooth.
- Remove from heat, and add cream cheese, Lovera’s cheese, cheddar and salt, and pepper. Stir until cheese is completely melted.
- In a large bowl, combine pasta with cheese sauce. Fold in crumbled bacon and salsa. Pour into a buttered 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Top with sliced jalapenos, and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
- Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until top is bubbly and golden brown.