sweet & spicy mac & cheese

imagine sweet potatoes in a gooey mac & cheese,

with a spicy chipotle kick, and crumbles of chorizo....

yes, that is what i ate for dinner last night.

comfort food at it's finest!

loved this dish from cooking light.

it would be a great side for a BBQ or any potluck

it's pretty spicy, so for those of you that don't love the heat,

i would reduce your chipotle chile.

enjoy! :)

ingredients

3 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds)

1 cup fat-free milk

1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons chopped chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce

3/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 3/4 cup packed)

8 ounces uncooked whole-wheat macaroni

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 ounces fresh Mexican chorizo, casings removed

1/4 cup chopped green onions

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

i obviously didn't use the cilantro because i detest it...

but to each his own :)

directions

*this recipe takes about 1.5 hours, only because you need about

45 minutes - 1 hour to bake your sweet potatoes.
plan ahead and do something else in the meantime :)

1. preheat oven to 425 degrees

 

2. pierce potatoes several times with a fork; place on a foil-lined baking sheet.

bake at 425° for 1 hour or until tender.

cool slightly; peel and mash in a large bowl.

3. stir in milk and next 4 ingredients (through cheese)

4. cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

add pasta to sweet potato mixture; set aside.

5. preheat broiler to high.

6. heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. add oil; swirl to coat.

add chorizo to pan; cook 4 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble.

place chorizo in a small bowl.

7. spoon sweet potato mixture into pan; sprinkle evenly with chorizo.

broil 2 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp.

sprinkle with onions and cilantro.

8. enjoy! :)