Not The Military's Chili Mac
When I was in JROTC I was the biggest fan of MRE's (Meals Ready To Eat). There were tons of varieties to choose from back then and even more so now. Scrambled Eggs to Meat Loaf, MRE's are 1500 calories of pure deliciousness. My personal favorite was the Chili Mac but for some reason no one else in my Platoon liked it. They were always very anxious to trade it and I was the one they always went to. Since those days, I've recreated the deliciousness several times but in a way that everyone enjoys.
NTM Chili Mac
(1.5 hours Serves 4)
1 pd Ground Beef
1 medium Diced Bell Pepper
2 small Diced Jalapenos
3 Diced Garlic Cloves
1 Diced Yellow Onion
2 tbsp Chili Powder
1 tbsp Dried Parsley
1 tbsp Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp Paparika
2 cans Drained Kidney Beans
1 (28 oz) can Drained Diced Tomatoes
1 (14 oz) can Tomato Sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste
.5 pd Pasta Shells
12 oz Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Sour Cream and Diced Green Onions as topping
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a heavy bottom pot, brown the Ground Beef and drain, reserving the fat. Transfer the fat back to the pot and set the browned beef aside. Add the Diced Bell Pepper, Japs, Garlic, and Onion to the fat and cook until the onions are translucent (about 5-8 minutes). Add in the Chili Powder, Parsley, Cayenne Pepper, and Paparika. Stir to combine. Stir in th Kidney Beans, Diced Tomatoes, and Tomato Sauce. Heat until bubbling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and let simmer.
While the Chili is simmering, cook pasta according to directions on package. Remove half of the chili from the pot and set aside to cool. Drain the pasta and add to the Chili, stirring to combine. Add 6 oz of the Shredded Cheddar Cheese and stir in completely making sure there are no big patches of cheese. Pour the entire Chili mix into a 9x13 baking pan and top with the last half of cheese. Cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted.
Let sit for 5-10 minutes to cool a bit before dishing into bowls and topping with Sour Cream and diced Green Onions.
So what about that second half of the Chili? It freezes extremely well in a plastic container so I will use it for another night of NTM Chili Mac or some Nachos if we get a hankering.
The guys love this Chili Mac and it typically disappears quickly. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Until next time amigas, adios!