Cowboy Pasta

Sometimes I just ask my hubs to pick one ingredient to inspire me for dinner ideas. This was one of those times. I had already settled on a pasta dish but I couldn’t decide which direction to go other than that I didn’t want red sauce. So I asked and he delivered Ground Beef. The gears started turning and Cowboy Pasta was the tasty tasty result. A homemade Mac & Cheese loaded up with beef, bacon, jalapenos, tomatoes and corn!

Ingredients:
1½ lb Ground Beef
½ Red Onion, diced
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Chili Powder
1 tbsp Avocado Oil
1 can Diced Tomatoes
1 can Sweet Corn, drained
1½ lb Short Pasta shells, rotini, elbows
½ lb Bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces

For the Cheese Sauce:
4 tbsp Butter
1 tsp Garlic Powder
4 tbsp Flour
2 cup Chicken Broth
1 cup Heavy Cream
1 4oz can Diced Jalapenos
2 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded.

Instructions:
Prepare all of the ingredients. Start water boiling for pasta.
In a frying pan over medium-high heat, add bacon. Cook until crispy then remove to paper towel covered plate.
In a large sauce pan over medium-high heat, add oil, onions and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes then add ground beef, cumin and chili powder. Crumble and cook until no longer pink. Add tomatoes and corn, then reduce heat to low.
Add pasta to boiling water and cook as directed on package. Drain in colander and rinse with cool water to arrest cooking. Return to pot, away from heat.
In a saucepan over medium heat, add butter and garlic powder. Once melted, whisk in flour. Cook for 2 minutes then whisk in chicken broth. Cook for 2 minutes then whisk in heavy cream. Cook for 2 minutes then add jalapenos and cheese. Continue to stir until fully melted and combined.
Add bacon, meat mixture and cheese sauce to pasta in pot and stir to combine.

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