Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese

Cheesy?

Check.

Creamy?  

Check.

Crunchy?  

Check.

Spicy?  

Check.

This might sound like a no brainer, but if you like macaroni and cheese and jalapeno poppers, then you'll absolutely LOVE this dish.  I could eat this every day, but it's probably a good thing I don't.

During dinner we forced ourselves to finally put the fork down and save some for leftovers.  It was so good we could have devoured it all at once, but we really, REALLY wanted some leftovers.  Don't tell, but I may have taken a fork full (or two or three) for breakfast the next morning.  I may have even washed the fork and put it away quickly to hide the evidence.  And I may have had to take that last bite just to even out the leftovers, so it didn't look like anything happened.

Yup, I'm that type of girl.  I'll also eat off your plate.  So there.

I may have laid in bed at night thinking about the leftovers.  So....you should probably go make this.  Dream about it.  Eat it all.  Repeat.

Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese
Printable Recipe
by Life's Ambrosia

• 1lb pasta
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 jalapenos, diced
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup pepper jack cheese
• 4 oz. cream cheese softened
• 1/4 tsp seasoning salt
• 2/3 cup panko bread crumbs
• 2 tsp olive oil
• kosher salt

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta for 6- 7 minutes or until tender but still has a bite to it. Drain.
3. Melt the butter in the same pot that you cooked the pasta in. Stir in jalapenos and cook just until softened, about 2 minutes. 
4. Whisk in flour. Cook 1 minute. Pour in milk. Stir in pepper jack and cream cheese. Cook until melted. Stir in 1/4 tsp of seasoning salt. Stir in pasta. Adjust with more seasoning salt if needed.
5. Pour macaroni and cheese into a casserole dish. Sprinkle with panko bread crumbs. Drizzle olive oil over the top. 
6. Bake for 15 minutes or until pasta is bubbly. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 – 4 minutes or until panko bread crumbs have browned. Remove from oven, sprinkle lightly with salt. Serve hot.