Chipotle Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon

So I mentioned the other day (either here or on Facebook or outloud) that I am partial to Creamy Mac and Cheese versus Mac and Cheese Casserole (the kind with egg).  Don't get me wrong, I'll eat my weight with either.

Anyway, Homesick Texan posted a new recipe. I read it. It was the Creamy version.  And it has bacon. I must have it!

D said ok, but we both agreed to no cotija because it is a pain in neck to find, and it is too much  for the amount we will use before it goes bad. Plus since it was labeled as optional, well that was fine too.

D made this.  It was thick and creamy.  Unfortunately, I seemed to bite down on a big piece of garlic in my first bite so that's all I tasted.  When I said it was overpowering garlic, D looked at me like I had 4 heads.  He said the chipotle was awesome. I asked what chipotle?  I still liked it, but I need to have it again.  The texture was excellent.

So now we have to have again, so I can verify it was as good as he said.  The horror!!!!

Update: D made this with 2 cloves of garlic.  It was very good.  We had with the cotija cheese because we actually have a bag of it.  You should make this.

Chipotle Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon

Photo by ALB

(Adapted from the NY Times)

Ingredients
2 cups of dry elbow pasta
2 cups of milk
1 cup of cottage cheese
1 chipotle chile in adobo
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 clove of garlic, roughly chopped
Pinch of cumin
Salt and black pepper to taste
3 cups of shredded cheese, a mix of cheddar and Monterey Jack
1/4 cup of crumbled cotija cheese (optional, but delicious!) - didn't use
4 pieces of cooked bacon, chopped
1 tablespoon of butter

Preparation
Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Grease a 9-inch cast-iron skillet or a 9-inch square or round baking pan with the butter. Add the dry pasta.

In a blender, mix together the milk, cottage cheese, chipotle chile, mustard powder, garlic, cumin, salt and black pepper until it’s smooth. Pour mixture over dry pasta and stir until sauce is evenly distributed.

Stir in two cups of the shredded cheese, cover the pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, remove the foil and stir the macaroni and cheese a couple of times. Top with the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese and chopped bacon and cook for another 25 minutes uncovered or until brown and bubbling.

Remove from oven, sprinkle with cotija and serve.

Nutritional Information (from My Fitness Pal)
Servings: 4
Calories: 617; Carbs:54; Fat: 26; Protein: 40; Sodium: 1759; Fiber: 3

Kroger - Elbow Macaroni Noodles, 2 c (dry): 800
Friendly Farms (Aldi's) - 2% Reduced Fat Milk, 2 cup: 240
Kroger - Small Curd Cottage Cheese, 1 cup: 220
Embasa - Chipotle Peppers In Adobe Sauce, 2 tbsp (31g) with sauce: 15
Spices - Mustard seed, yellow, 1 tsp: 15
Generic - Fresh Garlic Clove, 1 Clove: 4 Spices - Cumin, 0.13 tsp: 1
Kroger - Shredded 2% 4 Cheese Mexican Blend, 3 cup: 960
Butter - Salted - Butter-salted, 1 tbsp: 102
Spices - Morton's Iodized Salt, 1 tsp: 0
Spices - Pepper, black, 1 tsp: 5
Kroger - Fully Cooked Bacon - Kroger, 4 Slices: 107