Creamy Poblano Mac Cheese Food

CREAMY POBLANO MAC & CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a 3 quart saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Add onion and red pepper and cook for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.
• Add tomato and garlic to the saucepan and cook and stir for 1 minute.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Stir in the soup and milk and heat to a boil.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat.
• Add the cheese and stir until melted.
• Stir in the macaroni.
• Sprinkle with the cilantro if desired.

VEGAN POBLANO MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Add the cashews to a small bowl and cover with hot tap water to soak for 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, combine the potatoes and carrot in a medium pot with 4 cups water, salt liberally, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook until the vegetables are fork-tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Reserve 1½ cups of the cooking liquid, then drain.
• While the potatoes and carrots cook, bring 8 cups water in a medium pot to a boil over high. Salt liberally, add the elbow pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain and return to the pot.
• While the potatoes and pasta cook, char the chiles: Place the poblano chiles and jalapeño, if using, directly on the grate of a gas burner and turn the heat to high. Cook, using heatproof tongs to turn the chiles so they blister and blacken on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Remove the stems and seeds and discard, then slice the chiles and set aside a few for garnish.
• Working in batches if necessary, blend the potatoes, carrot, cashews, chiles, nutritional yeast and the reserved potato cooking water until smooth. Taste and season with salt. Add the sauce to the pasta and stir to coat. Turn the heat to low and let sit for about 5 minutes so the pasta absorbs some of the sauce. Serve hot, garnished with the reserved chiles.

CREAMY POBLANO MACARONI & CHICKEN

Steps:

• Cook Macaroni as directed on package.
• Meanwhile, blend Neufchatel, chicken broth and chiles in blender until smooth; pour into saucepan. Cook on medium-low heat 5 min. or until heated through, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.
• Drain macaroni; use to prepare Dinner as directed on package, following the less-fat directions. Spoon into serving dish.
• Top with chicken, poblano sauce and cilantro.

MAC & CHEESE STUFFED POBLANOS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Prepare Dinners as directed on package. Stir in wieners and 1 cup shredded cheese.
• Fill chiles with Dinner mixture; place, filled-sides up, in single layer in shallow baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Top with remaining shredded cheese and paprika.
• Bake 15 min. or until cheese is melted and peppers are heated through.