Lone Star Beef & Pepper Mac & Cheese
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Lone Star Beef & Pepper Mac & Cheese

Lone Star Beef & Pepper Mac & Cheese

with a Crispy Panko Topping

Mac and cheese just got a flavorful makeover that’s got heads turning. This Tex-Mex twist on a classic is all about Southwestern flair: lightly charred green pepper, roasted garlic, diced tomato, and four kinds of cheese add serious oomph to the creamy sauce. This super savory melange coats corkscrew cavatappi, then is sprinkled with a layer of crispy panko. Beautiful!

Allergens:
Wheat
Milk

Produced in a facility that processes eggs, milk, fish, peanuts, sesame, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.

Total Time30 minutes
Prep Time5 minutes
DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

serving amount

1 unit

Long Green Pepper

1 unit

Tomato

1 clove

Garlic

6 ounce

Cavatappi Pasta

(Contains Wheat)

½ cup

Panko Breadcrumbs

(Contains Wheat)

1 tablespoon

Southwest Spice Blend

8 ounce

Cream Sauce Base

(Contains Milk)

2 tablespoon

Cream Cheese

(Contains Milk)

½ cup

Pepper Jack Cheese

(Contains Milk)

¼ cup

Monterey Jack Cheese

(Contains Milk)

½ cup

Mexican Cheese Blend

(Contains Milk)

10 ounce

Ground Beef

Not included in your delivery

2 teaspoon

Olive Oil

1 tablespoon

Butter

(Contains Milk)

Salt

Pepper

1 teaspoon

Cooking Oil

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Nutrition Values

/ per serving
Calories1470 kcal
Fat93 g
Saturated Fat46 g
Carbohydrate100 g
Sugar13 g
Dietary Fiber7 g
Protein57 g
Cholesterol275 mg
Sodium1340 mg
Due to the different suppliers we purchase our products from, nutritional facts per meal can vary from the website to what is received in the delivered box, depending on your region.

Utensils

Medium Pot
Aluminum Foil
Baking Sheet
Small Bowl
Strainer
Large Pan
Whisk
Baking Dish

Instructions

Prep
1

• Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bring a medium pot (large pot for 4 servings) of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce. • Halve green pepper lengthwise; remove stem and seeds. Dice tomato. Peel garlic clove and place in the center of a small piece of foil; drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cinch into a packet.

Roast Veggies
2

• Place green pepper halves, cut sides down, on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Place garlic foil packet on same sheet. • Roast on top rack until green pepper is tender and lightly blistered and garlic is softened, 15-17 minutes. • Remove from oven. Once cool enough to handle, transfer everything to a cutting board. Dice green pepper. Mash garlic with a fork. • Heat broiler to high or heat oven to 500 degrees.

Cook Pasta & Make Topping
3

• Once water is boiling, add cavatappi to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. • Reserve ¾ cup pasta cooking water, then drain. • Meanwhile, place 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) in a small microwave-safe bowl; microwave until melted, 30 seconds. Stir in panko and half the Southwest Spice Blend (you’ll use the rest later). Season with salt and pepper.

While pasta cooks, heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add beef or organic beef and cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until cooked through, 4-6 minutes.

Make Sauce
4

• Heat empty pot used for pasta over medium heat. Add cream sauce base, cream cheese, and remaining Southwest Spice Blend; bring to a simmer, whisking, until smooth, 1-2 minutes. • Reduce heat to low and whisk in pepper jack, Monterey Jack, and Mexican cheese blend until melted and smooth.

Mix Mac & Cheese
5

• Stir drained cavatappi, mashed garlic, diced green pepper, and tomato into pot with cheese sauce. If needed, stir in reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time until cavatappi is coated in a creamy sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary.

Stir beef or organic beef into pot along with drained cavatappi until evenly combined.

Finish & Serve
6

• Transfer mac & cheese to an 8-by-8- inch baking dish (for 4 servings, use a 9-by-13-inch baking dish). Sprinkle with seasoned panko; broil or bake until panko is browned and crispy, 2-3 minutes. TIP: Watch carefully to avoid burning. • Divide between plates or serve directly from baking dish.

Ground Beef is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 160°.