Need to get some comfort food on the table in under 45 minutes? This might be the thing to try. I was really in the mood for Mac & Cheese, but had all the ingredients for Chili in the house, so ended up combining the two recipes. Turns out, it was much faster to make than one would think, and it’s a decadent (in a low-brow kind of way) and rich “sure to fill you up” kind of meal. It’s fairly mild, in terms of spice, but feel free to amp up the chili powder or add a dash of cayenne. Recipes serves 4 people, more if you make a nice salad to accompany it.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
8 ounces ground beef
4 cups chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
3/4 cup canned white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
10 ounces uncooked elbows pasta
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (optional)
Directions
Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onion and sauté for 3-5 minutes until soft. Add ground beef, and cook until browned, about 5-8 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks; drain excess fat. Add in garlic and cook until just fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes, beans, chili powder and cumin; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a simmer and stir in pasta. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until pasta is cooked through according to box directions (in my case, about 15 minutes). Remove from heat. Top with cheese and cover until melted, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.
