Chili Mac for a Chilly Day

Cooler weather has moved across much of the country, even reaching South Central Alabama. We’ve lived here about 7 or 8 years now, and I can’t remember us ever having a freeze this early.

Cooler weather typically means a shift from the lighter fare of summer to heartier dishes. Our favorite cold weather dishes include casseroles, soups and stews.

A few nights ago while I was preparing to cook dinner, I realized that the recipe I was about to use was far too similar to another recipe I make (and we had eaten it not too long ago). So I needed a quick change of plans.

I considered making our favorite chili, but I didn’t have everything I needed. So I sat with both recipes open, looking at similarities and contemplating what I could do. The idea dawned on me to make a Chili Mac, which would be a sort of hybrid between my chili recipe and the recipe I had decided to not make.

It turned out very well, and both my husband and stepson liked it. It was fairly quick and easy to make, and was hearty enough to be filling and satisfying. While I haven’t tried it, I believe a soup or stew variation could be made by increasing the amount of broth and/or cooking the macaroni separately and then adding it with the beans. You could also add up to 1 cup of frozen corn kernels.

My only regret in making this was that I didn’t have the ingredients on hand to make corn bread. I think that would have made dinner perfect.

Carol’s Chili Mac

1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (14.5oz) tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup Picante Sauce
2 cups beef broth
1 1/2 teaspoons Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder
1 teaspoon Southwest seasoning (Penzeys)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup elbow macaroni, uncooked
1 can (15oz) pinto beans, drained & rinsed

Brown ground beef in a 12" skillet . Add onion and cook until beginning to go translucent.

Add remaining ingredients, except beans, and mix well.

Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and cook until macaroni is tender.

Add pinto beans and mix. Adjust seasonings if needed.

Ingredient Notes:

* Ground Beef: I use 93% lean. If you use a higher fat beef, drain all but 1 or 2 tablespoons of the drippings from the pan before adding the onion.

* Tomatoes: I use petite cut, but any type should be fine. If using whole tomatoes, crush them up before adding to the skillet.

* Picante Sauce: I use Pace, Medium heat

* Chili Powder: I use Penzeys' Medium Hot

* Southwest Seasoning: I use Penzeys