This chili dog mac and cheese combines two of my favorite things to eat — chili dogs and mac and cheese — and manages not to taste all that much like either one, while being wildly successful at being stupendously delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 large onion , diced
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt , plus more to taste
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 0.5 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 0.13 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 0.13 teaspoons cayenne pepper , or to taste
- 0.5 teaspoons dried oregano , preferably Mexican oregano
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 cup green peppers
- 1 pound hot dogs , sliced
- 1 can crushed tomatoes , 28 ounce
- 2.5 cups water
- 2 cups elbow macaroni
- 8 ounces white Cheddar cheese
- 8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- green onions , optional
Instructions
-
1
Add olive oil to a large pot and place over high heat. Add beef; cook and stir, breaking up with a spoon or spatula, about 2 minutes. Add onions and salt, and cook, stirring, until beef is crumbly, and onions turn translucent, about 5 minutes.
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2
Add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, black pepper, cinnamon, cayenne, dried oregano, and garlic. Cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes.
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3
Add peppers, sliced hot dogs, crushed tomatoes, and water. Stir together; bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until cooked to your taste, at least 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
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4
Once chili is nearly ready, fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in macaroni and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, 1 minute less than specified in package directions, until not quite tender, and still firm to the bite, about 8 to 11 minutes.
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5
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
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6
Turn off heat under chili, drain macaroni, and add to the pot of chili. Stir until combined, and transfer mixture into a large, deep 9x13-inch baking dish.
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7
Mix Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses together in a bowl, and transfer about 60% of cheese to top of chili mixture. Use a spoon to thoroughly mix cheese into the casserole.
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8
Apply remaining cheese evenly over the top, and lightly poke down into the surface with the tip of a spoon.
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9
Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly, 30 to 35 minutes. Let rest 15 minutes before serving, topped with green onions.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving
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