Frito Pie Mac and Cheese…brought to you by my childhood, emotional eating and Fritos (No, I’m not sponsored). You have been warned.
In my youth, I was FAT. I don’t mean that in a cute but chubby kind of way. No, no, no…I mean, I couldn’t touch my toes…actually, now that I think about it…I couldn’t even see my toes. It wasn’t all bad though, I feel like I was a lot more care free back then. Especially when it comes to food. When I look at food now, a cascade of thoughts rush through my mind…
- Calories in the food?
- Macro nutrient breakdown?
- Can I incorporate this into the blog?
- How can I draw inspiration from this?
- How will I feel after eating this? Physically? Mentally? Emotionally?
This is an odd thing for me to say but I don’t enjoy food the way I used to. Don’t get me wrong, I love cooking! I just miss the days when I was able to eat and simply enjoy the meal without a care in the world.
In middle school, I would more often than not, order two lunches because I couldn’t decide on just one of the two daily specials. Most of those days, I’d wobble out of the lunch line balancing Mac & Cheese in one hand, a Frito Pie in the other while baring a smile that was strong enough to hold up my heavy cheeks. I’d sit with my friends and discuss monumental issues like who had the strongest Pokémon, how to avoid contracting cooties and the best ways to forge a parent’s signature. It was a much simpler time.
That’s why I made this Frito Pie Mac and Cheese, to reflect on a time when I ate for the simple pleasure of just eating. No worries. No regrets. No false self-made promises to do cardio.
This Frito Pie Mac and Cheese is a beefy chili…on top of creamy cheese covered pasta…that is topped with Fritos chips. It is not physically healthy by any means but that’s ok. This meal did wonders for my mentality.
Take care of your body but not at the expense of your sanity. Live a little! You can start by giving this a try, you won’t regret it!
- 1 lb Ground Beef 85/15
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 3/4 large Onion Finely diced, the remainder will be used in the Mac and Cheese
- 2 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Dried Chili Flakes
- 15 oz Dark Red Kidney Beans
- 16 oz Crushed Tomato
- Kosher Salt To Taste
- Grounded Black Pepper To taste
- 1 lb Elbow Macaroni
- 5 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 2 cloves Garlic Minced
- 1/4 large Onion Finely diced
- 2 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
- 2 cup Whole Milk
- 1 lb Colby-Jack Cheese Grated
- 2 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg Freshly grated
- 1/2 tsp Dried Chili Flakes Optional
- Kosher Salt To Taste
- Over medium high heat, cook the ground beef in 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add in about 1/2 tsp of salt while stirring.
- When the ground beef has browned, add in the Ground Cumin, Dried Oregano, Garlic powder, Dried Chili Flakes, and diced Onions. Cook until the Onions are translucent (1-2 minutes).
- Add in the Dark Red Kidney Beans and give it a quick stir (30 seconds).
- Add in the crushed tomatoes and bring the chili to a simmer and allow it to cook for 5 minutes (longer if you want a thicker chili). Salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook the pasta to Al Dente (the time will vary depending on your pasta of choice).
- In a large pot, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Add in the diced Onion and garlic. Cook until onions are translucent (1-2 minutes).
- Add in the AP flour and and continuously stir until the flour takes on a nutty flavor (3-4 minutes).
- Slowly pour in the milk while stirring.
- Bring the mixture up to a simmer. The mixture will thicken up.
- Add in the Dijon mustard, Colby-Jack Cheese and Red Pepper Flakes.
- Stir until the cheese is completely melted.
- Grate in some nutmeg (I used 1/4 tsp).
- Stir in the pasta.
- Top With Crushed Fritos, diced red onions and Jalapenos.
This recipe does not involve extra cooking time in the oven so please cook your pasta to Al Dente
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