Mexican Macaroni Medley
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

4 cups (12 oz) uncooked pasta shapes (any kind is fine)
1/4 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp onion powder
2 1/4 c milk
1 loaf (8oz) prepared cheese product, cubed
1 package (8oz) shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese blend, divided
1 can (4oz) chipped green chilies, drained
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
1 c chili cheese or barbecue flavor corn chips, coarsely broken (I would skip this part next time)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray baking dish with vegetable oil. In dutch oven, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Add pasta and cook 8-9 minutes or until al dente (tender but firm to the bite). Drain and pour into large bowl.
Meanwhile, combine flour and onion powder in a saucepan. Over medium heat, gradually stir in milk with a wire whisk. Cook 5-7 minutes or until mixture is as thick as heavy cream, stirring constantly. Remove saucepan from the heat. Add cheese product (I cubed it so it would melt faster), 1 1/2 c of the shredded cheese and the chilies; stir until cheese is melted.
Mix cheese sauce with pasta and spoon into baking dish. Top with remaining 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese. Bake 20 minutes or until bubbly. Top with tomato and corn chips (again, I'd skip corn chips).

From Pampered Chef Main Dishes

Ken's rating: ****
Chalsea's rating: ****1/2
I really liked this twist on regular mac and cheese. No, it's not good for you, but it's good for the taste buds! :) I did put the chili cheese fritos on top, but I would skip that next time. It was plenty good without it. If you're desperate for a crunch factor, you could probably use plain fritos.