Jalapeño Macaroni and Cheese (Gluten Free)

I LOVE homemade mac & cheese. Do you? Please say yes.

If you haven't made homemade macaroni and cheese before, give this recipe a try. It's pretty easy and so tasty.

When I make macaroni, I always remember 2-2-2-2. I use two tablespoons butter, two tablespoons flour, two cups of milk and two cups cheese. This is always my starting point, and from there I can make adjustments. Sometimes I use cheddar cheese. This time I used Monterey Jack because I thought the color contrast of a light cheese with the jalapenos would be nice. And I really liked it. I always add in a bit of mustard with my cheese sauce also (sometimes dry mustard powder), usually Dijon mustard. Salt and pepper only after you’ve added your cheese.

For a bit more decadence, you can bake this afterwards with more cheese on top, or some gluten free bread crumbs. (Or both!)

To make this ahead and have it ready to go in the oven for dinner, cook your noodles a little less by a minute or two (because they will cook in the oven and you don’t want mushy noodles). Then follow the recipe up to and including mixing the noodles into the cheese sauce. Pour the whole thing into a baking dish and then refrigerate until needed. Warm it in the oven at 350F (180 C) until hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes or so, but check it often after 20-25 minutes.

To make this less spicy, remove the seeds from your jalapenos before adding them in. (Leave the seeds in for more spice!)

What would you add in with this? I think corn would be a good addition. Also, I LOVE spice, so instead of eating this with ketchup like my son does, I drizzle some Sriracha sauce on top. I used the new Walmart brand of gluten free elbow macaroni noodles and was quite pleased with them. They were not at all mushy in leftovers the next day.

Monterey Jack & Jalapeno Macaroni

creamy macaroni and cheese with spicy jalapeno

Yield:
Preparation time: 5min
Cook time: 8-12 min

Ingredients:

• 400 grams gluten free elbow noodles (fusilli or penne would be good here too)
• 2 cups grated cheese (I used Monterey jack)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons gluten free flour mix
• 2 cups milk
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and finely diced
• 1 teaspoon mustard (I used Dijon)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Boil your noodles according to package directions. Then drain and let sit in colander while you make the cheese sauce.

2. In a hot skillet or dutch oven, over medium-high heat, melt the butter. (In my cast iron enamel dutch oven on my stove top, I only need to use medium heat to get this very hot) Sprinkle flour over top of the melted butter and mix with whisk. Cook flour until light brown and nutty smelling. Add milk, a little at a time, whisking well to avoid having lumpy sauce. Once incorporated, let simmer and bubble until it thickens. Then add cheese, jalapenos, mustard and salt and pepper to taste. Mix reserved noodles into the sauce and serve.

3. OPTIONAL: Use noodles that have been cooked a minute or two less than package time, and once everything is mixed together, pour into casserole dish, top with cheese and gluten free breadcrumbs if desired, then bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes at 350 F.