Made this up last night for the wife and boys. For the baby, I pureed some of it and mixed it with some overcooked Acini de Pepe pasta (teeny, tiny little pasta) that he could eat with his five teeth. The wife loved it and said it reminded her of when her dad would make a big casserole dish of chili mac and send the leftovers back to the dorm with her when she was in college. The oldest boy just quietly cleaned his plate.
Chili Mac - Chile Con Carne + Macaroni
1 jalapeno seeded & finely chopped
2 yellow onions diced
2 tbs bacon grease
1 large carrot diced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small bunch cilantro chopped
2 tbs ground coriander
2 tbs ground cumin
1 tbs caldo de res (beef bullion)
1 tbs smoked paprika
1 tsp oregano
3/4 tsp ground sage
2 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper
2 tsp madras curry powder
1 tsp cinnamon
2 lbs ground beef
2 7 ounce cans diced green chiles
1 quart water
1 28 ounce can crushed tomato
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar
22 ounce bag macaroni
Start sauteeing the onions, carrots, and jalapeno in the bacon fat. After a couple of minutes, add the garlic and cilantro and sautee about a minute more.
Add in the spice mixture (second bunch of ingredients) and cook the spices with the veggies until fragrant. Add the water and bring to a boil.
Put in the ground beef and mash everything up with a potato masher to break up the meat. Add the tomatoes and chiles, bring back to a low boil, and simmer covered for 30-45 minutes.
In another pot, bring salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni just a little underdone. Reserve 6-8 ounces of the pasta water and drain.
Put the macaroni pot back on the stove. Put in 6-8 ounces of the chili broth and the reserved pasta water, pour the drained pasta back in and mix everything together for about a minute over medium heat. Add the chili to the pasta pot and cook everything together for about 5 minutes.
Stir in the sour cream and cheese, mix well, remove from heat, and let cool for about 10 minutes. Scoop into bowls and serve.
Enjoy!
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