Beefy Mac & Cheese

Baked pasta dishes are one of my guiltiest and most comforting pleasures. This one is a combination of classic macaroni and cheese and yet another of my many guilty pleasures, the cheeseburger!

(Yield: 6 servings)

Ingredients:

1 lb elbow macaroni

1 tbsp olive oil

1 lb lean ground beef

1/3 tsp cayenne pepper

1/3 tsp garlic powder

1/3 tsp paprika

Salt/cracked black pepper

Sauce:

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 1/2 c whole milk

1/2 c shredded Swiss cheese

1 c shredded cheddar, divided

Cook the pasta just short of al dente and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat and add beef. Add spices, along with salt and black pepper. Break up with a wooden spatula and sauté for 8-10 min, stirring frequently. Set aside.

On low heat, in a medium sauce pan, combine butter and flour and cook for 1m, making a light roux. Add milk, slightly raise heat, and whisking frequently bring to a gentle boil. Let sauce thicken a few minutes, until it can coat the back of a wooden spoon. Add Swiss cheese and 3/4c cheddar. TURN HEAT OFF and whisk until combined.

Combine pasta, beef and cheese sauce, re-season if necessary. Place into baking dish and top with remaining cheddar. Bake at 375F for 10m and at 415F for another 10m, until the top is golden brown.