"Salsa" Mac and Cheese w/late season Garden Veggies

Comfort-food season is officially here and it's time to start bulking up for the winter. Let's see how much mac 'n cheese we can eat this Fall.

Salsa Mac and Cheese

½ pound uncooked elbow mac, or shape of your choosing

water for boiling

2/3 cup chopped onion

3-4 small jalapeno peppers, finely chopped

3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

4 oz shredded cheddar cheese

4 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/3 cup sour cream

1/3 cup low fat mayo

2-3 Tbsp heavy cream

2 tsp Kosher salt

½ cups Panko bread crumbs for topping

butter, for greasing casserole dish

1. Pre-heat oven to 350º and grease a casserole dish generously with butter.

2. Boil the pasta until just tender; meanwhile, prepare other ingredients.

3. After pasta is cooked, drain the macaroni and return immediately to the warm pan*, then stir in all ingredients from jalapenos through salt. Mix well and transfer to the greased casserole dish.

4. Bake mixture for 45-55 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

*It's important to have all of the other ingredients ready when you're done boiling the pasta, so that the cheese melts a little and integrates into the mixture.