Shelly's Recipe

MACARONI AND CHEESE WITH RED PEPPERS

Category: Noodles / Pasta

1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
3 cups milk
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander seed and salt
1 lb elbow macaroni, cooked al dente
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
3/4 lb pepperjack cheese, coarsely grated
Salt and pepper, to taste

Topping
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups fine, fresh bread crumbs
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
Chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 350. Generously butter a large, (at least 4 quart) shallow baking dish. Cook onion and bell pepper in butter in a skillet over medium-low heat, stirring, until softened. Stir in flour and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Stir in milk; heat the mixture to boil, stirring, and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in seasonings; remove from heat.

Combine cooked pasta, sauce, tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste; mix well and transfer to baking dish; sooth the top.

Topping: Melt butter and add bread crumbs and cornmeal in a skillet. Cok, stirring, until mixture is golden. Stir in cilantro. Sprinkle topping over macaroni mixture and bake until hot, bubbly and slightly browned at the edges, about 1 hour. Serves 8-10