Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve had a keen fondness for all things cheese and pasta. Mac & Cheese is essentially a life staple, something you can find in almost every home in America, and for good reason: Mac & Cheese is yum! That being said, once you’re a parent, traditional Mac & Cheese can lose its luster, because you just know you’re eating it every other day because it’s the only thing the kids like and you just need something different. Maybe something like my Mexican Mac & Cheese? Yes?
I made this dish to be kid friendly while still appealing to the adult need to…branch out in flavor. And boy does this dish deliver. Featuring spiced up taco meat, corn, diced peppers, a sprinkling of fresh cilantro and a drizzle of ranch dressing, you can whip up this pile of awesome in just 20 minutes using common ingredients you probably already have in your fridge, freezer, or pantry! Hallelujah, deliver me to dinner!
I made the whole dish on the stove and it was easy! You can cook the beef while the macaroni is boiling, and just let the veggies simmer in another pot so they are nice and warm. I used Horizon Organic Mac & Cheese because I love the quality of their product and the taste is just fantastic. With 10 grams of protein and organic ingredients, it’s a huge win in my book. Plus! They have this amazing MAC-N-ATOR tool that gives you a recipe when you plug in ingredients you have around the house! Like this Mexican Mac & Cheese. Super staples to the rescue!
I like to pair this dish with some fresh salsa and chips, because with the Mexican flavors, you just kind of have to, right? Right. Get your Mac & Cheese on tonight, my friends.
Ingredients
- 1 Box Horizon Organic Classic Mac & Cheese
- 2 Tbsp Butter
- ¼ C Milk
- ½ lb Ground Beef
- 2 Tbsp Taco Seasoning
- 1 8.75 oz Can Sweet Corn Kernels
- 1 Small Green Bell Pepper diced
- 1 Small Red Bell Pepper diced
- Cilantro for garnish
- Ranch Dressing for drizzling
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil and add the macaroni. Allow to cook as instructed on the package.
- In a small saucepan on low, combine the sweet corn, red and green peppers, and allow to warm, stirring occasionally.
- While the macaroni cooks, in a frying pan, brown the ground beef over medium high heat, crumbling as it cooks, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add the taco seasoning, stirring until thoroughly combined.
- When the macaroni is cooked to tenderness, drain and return to the pot. Add the butter, milk, and enclosed cheese mix packet and mix until thoroughly combined and cheesy.
- Mix the mac & cheese, ground beef, and veggies together and place into three bowls. Top with fresh cilantro and a drizzle of ranch dressing. Enjoy
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Be sure to head over to Horizon Organic’s Mac & Cheese Pinterest board to see all the wonderful Mac & Cheese creations being made with the MAC-N-ATOR, like my Mexican Mac & Cheese! What ingredients would you enter in the MAC-N-ATOR?
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Horizon Organic. The opinions and text are all mine.
Michelle @ The Complete Savorist says
Doctored mac n cheese is my favorite. I love the added nutrition. My daughter will love this.
Carly says
stop it!, YUM!!!!
Chelsea says
I’m absolutely drooling over here! We’re a huge fan of “mexican” style food in this house and this would be a total hit! Thanks for the yummy recipe!