Spicy Jalepeno, Hot Sausage and Chorizo Mac and Cheese

When it comes to mac and cheese, I’ve always been kind of a snob. Throughout my whole life, I have been adamant that I only like crazy-creamy mac and cheese, like my Copycat Stouffer’s Mac and Cheese. But no more! My world has been rocked by this spicy chorizo mac and cheese.

Over the summer, my next door neighbors had a big family get together at their house, and kindly invited our whole clan over to eat. I’ll try just about anything to save face and be polite, so I scooped up some of their baked macaroni and cheese, although I had already convinced myself in my head that it wasn’t going to be my cup of tea.

It was phenomenal! I had never had a mac and cheese quite like it. Even though it was baked, it wasn’t dry at all, and it was super cheesy. I had to know how it was made, so I texted her and pleaded for her to share the recipe. Turns out, it was a variation on a recipe from a Patti LaBelle cookbook. I think the difference stems from the beaten eggs that are added to it instead of making a roux. This was a decidedly un-laborious mac and cheese recipe, really more of a “throw it together” recipe than I am used to.

I thought it would be awesome as a spicy jalepeno chorizo mac and cheese recipe, so I made my own twist on it here. I couldn’t have been more pleased with how this turned out- spicy, filling, and packed with cheese. Anyone that likes a little “kick” to their food is going to love this!

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Spicy Jalepeno, Hot Sausage and Chorizo Mac and Cheese

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Ingredients

• 1 lb mezze penne pasta
• 8 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
• 8 oz chorizo sausage
• 8 oz hot sausage
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 8 oz Velveeta cheese, cut into small cubes
• 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar, shredded
• 1 cup mild cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 jalepenos, seed and ribs removed, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta; cook until al dente. Drain and return to pot.
3. Add the butter and stir until melted.
4. Heat a small skillet over medium high heat. Add the chorizo and hot sausage to the skillet. Break up into small pieces and cook until brown.
5. Add the half and half, Velveeta, 1 cup of the sharp cheddar and ½ cup of the mild cheddar to the pasta. Stir together, then fold in the cooked sausage and jalepenos.
6. Spray a shallow serving dish (sized approximately 13 x 9) with nonstick cooking spray. Pour in the macaroni mixture and top with remaining cheese.
7. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
Amount Per Serving	As Served
Calories 250 Calories from fat 173
% Daily Value
Total Fat 19	29%
Saturated Fat 9	45%
Cholesterol 58	19%
Sodium 663	28%
Carbohydrate 3	1%
Dietary Fiber 1	4%
Sugars 0
Protein 17

Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:

	Calories	2000
Total Fat	Less than	65g
Sat Fat	Less than	25g
Cholesterol	Less than	300mg
Sodium	Less than	2,400mg
Total Carbohydrate		300g
Dietary Fiber		25g