Recipe Details

Chili Dog Mac and Cheese

This chili dog mac and cheese combines two favorites-chili dogs and mac and cheese-and manages not to taste all that much like either one, while being stupendously delicious.

Makes:12 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1 large onion, diced
2 generous teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup diced green peppers
1 pound hot dogs, sliced
1 (28-ounce) jar crushed tomatoes (or 3 1/2 cups tomato sauce or puree)
2 1/2 cups water
2 rounded cups elbow macaroni
8 ounces shredded white Cheddar cheese
8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
sliced green onions for the top, optional

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Directions

Prep:20 mCook:80 mReady:1 h 55 m

Add olive oil to a large pot and place over high heat. Add beef; cook and stir, breaking up with a spoon or spatula, about 2 minutes. Add onions and salt, and cook, stirring, until beef is crumbly, and onions turn translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, black pepper, cinnamon, cayenne, dried oregano, and garlic. Cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes.
Add peppers, sliced hot dogs, crushed tomatoes, and water. Stir together; bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until cooked to your taste, at least 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Once chili is nearly ready, fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in macaroni and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, 1 minute less than specified in package directions, until not quite tender, and still firm to the bite, about 8 to 11 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Turn off heat under chili, drain macaroni, and add to the pot of chili. Stir until combined, and transfer mixture into a large, deep (15x10-inch) baking dish.
Mix Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses together in a bowl, and transfer about 60% of cheese to top of chili mixture. Use a spoon to thoroughly mix cheese into the casserole.
Apply remaining cheese evenly over the top, and lightly poke down into the surface with the tip of a spoon.
Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly, 30 to 35 minutes. Let rest 15 minutes before serving, topped with green onions.