Lenten Series: Macaroni and Cheese--The Ultimate Comfort Food

I am currently in Seattle for grad school interviews, and after being away from home for four days now, I am ready to eat homemade food again! I really commend all those vegetarians out there who manage to not eat any meat while they travel. Let me tell you, I am getting so sick and tired of eating pizza and Mexican food; apparently, those are the two types of foods that you're guaranteed to get vegetarian! So now I'm craving fruits and veggies, but I'm especially craving my number one comfort food: macaroni and cheese. This is my go-to dish when I'm stressed, like when I'm interviewing for doctoral programs! So today, I'm going to share my recipe for spicy macaroni and cheese, which is by far the best mac and cheese out there!

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup (8-oz) heavy whipping cream
• 3 cups skim milk
• 2 cans Rotel, drained and rinsed
• cayenne to taste
• 1 lb. elbow macaroni (or any noodle of your choice--I like shells personally)
• 2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
• 4 cups grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

In a heavy saucepan saute the onion, garlic, jalapenos, coriander, and cumin in the oil over medium heat until the onion is softened. Stir in the flour and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Mix in the cream and milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly so it doesn't burn. Stir in Rotel. Simmer and add cayenne. In a separate pot, cook noodles for about 6-7 minutes, or until barely al dente. Drain and mix macaroni and tomato mixture into a greased baking dish. Stir in the Monterey Jack cheese and half of the cheddar cheese. Spread the Parmesan and remaining cheddar cheese on top of the macaroni mixture. Broil uncovered for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is golden.
Tips for this recipe: be sure to wear rubber gloves when chopping the jalapenos. I've chopped them a couple of times without gloves, and they will burn my hands for the next day. Also, don't use the 2% fat cheese because it doesn't melt properly; it looks rubbery and doesn't turn golden when you broil it. I know the 2% cheese has less fat, but it just doesn't work with this recipe; save calories in another dish!