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Queso Mac

August 19, 2013 / Vegetarian, Dinner

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.

Queso Mac - A special queso mac and cheese recipe for a special friend.

When I was pregnant, I often turned to comfort food when it was time to eat. For me, comfort food often involves cheese: grilled cheese sandwiches, cream cheese on a bagel, a bowl of queso dip, or maybe an entire box of macaroni and cheese.

It’s not like I didn’t know that a giant bowl of cheesy carbs wasn’t good for me. Sometimes you just gotta give baby what baby wants.

I shared a lot of my food habits with my friend Amber over Skype while I was pregnant, and I’ve continued to share the ups and downs of newborn life with her. She keeps me sane when the baby is having a bad day (or I’m having a bad day). I didn’t really have people to vent to when my first was a baby, and Amber’s friendship is priceless to me.

That’s why I can’t wait for her baby to be born in a few months. I just know our sons will be great friends. She and her husband James have been waiting a long time to meet their baby, and now we’re in the home stretch. I know from experience that the last month or two is the slowest time of your life, so luckily Amber will have plenty of recipes to cook through, thanks to her surprise shower!

We love you, Amber!

Amber's Baby Shower

Since Amber is a Texan, we all made Texas-inspired dishes to share. The last time Amber and I hung out, we attacked a big bowl of queso from Torchy’s, so I figure she would appreciate this Rotel-ish macaroni and cheese. Plus, we’ve gotta get that baby’s taste buds ready for Tex-Mex!

Queso Mac

Queso Mac

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

A macaroni and cheese inspired by the favorite chip dip.

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces macaroni
  • 1/4 cup diced onion
  • 2 jalapeños, seeded and finely diced (leave the seeds in if you want it hotter)
  • 1 large tomato, seeded and diced
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup cream cheese

Instructions

  1. Cook macaroni according to package directions.
  2. Meanwhile, saute onion, jalapeño, and tomato together until onion and peppers are softened. Stir in the cumin, chili powder, and salt.
  3. In a small saucepan, melt the butter, then whisk in the flour. Stir in the milk and cook until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in cheeses until completely melted and smooth.
  4. Once macaroni is done, drain, return to pot, and pour in the cheese sauce. Stir in the onion mixture. If desired, pour into an oven-safe dish or individual ramekins, top with crushed corn chips, and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes. Or, just eat as is!

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 463Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 980mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 17g

Did you make this recipe?

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© Megan
Category: Dinner

Be sure to check out all the blogs and recipes celebrating the arrival of Amber and James’s baby boy!

Sugarcrafter | Breakfast Tostadas
My Kitchen Addiction | Baby Texan Cookies
My Baking Addiction | Texas Sheet Cake
Simple Bites | Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Charred Corn Salsa
Stetted | Queso Mac
Food for My Family | Texas Pepper Barbecue Sauce
Dessert For Two | Frito Chocolate Chip Cookies
Confessions of a Cookbook Queen | Coconut Tres Leches Layer Cake
TidyMom | Pizza Bread Sticks
Miss in the Kitchen | Blackberry Milkshakes
Art of Gluten Free Baking | Peach-Pecan Pie, Gluten-Free
Bon Appetit Hon | Cheddar Ranch Crackers
Food Babbles | Southern Pecan Pie
Jelly Toast | Peach Iced Tea
Sweet Adventures of Sugarbelle | Decorated Elephant Cookies
i am baker | Texas Brownie Cake
The Kitchen Trials | Coca-Cola Cake
Cookies & Cups | Sticky Toffee Pudding Cookies
A Farmgirl’s Dabbles | Peanut Butter Bonbons the Size of Texas
Steph Chows | Fiesta Dip

Friday Finds: Essential Books for Food Bloggers
Oven-Roasted Pasta Sauce

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Reader Interactions

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  1. Tracy says

    August 19, 2013 at 7:21 am

    This looks amazing, Megan! Thanks for bringing your delicious queso mac along to Amber’s virtual shower!

    Reply
  2. Wendi @ Bon Appetit Hon says

    August 19, 2013 at 8:11 am

    Good lord yes, I need to get to know this mac and cheese.

    Reply
  3. Amber | Bluebonnets & Brownies says

    August 19, 2013 at 9:01 am

    Megan, your friendship has been priceless to me too. I can’t wait until we get back to Texas full time and can do this in person. And this mac? Perfection. Since you know James won’t touch cheesy sauces, I’m going to make this for me, and eat the entire thing. Like you said, I’ve got to get EJ’s taste buds ready! Thank you for celebrating him today, Megan. I can’t wait for him and M to be hanging out all the time.

    Reply
  4. Cookbook Queen says

    August 19, 2013 at 9:40 am

    This is so perfect!! My baby is 9 months old and I still crave cheesey carbs!! That might explain the lingering baby weight?

    Reply
  5. shelly (cookies and cups) says

    August 19, 2013 at 9:42 am

    Perfection!
    Love this! A bowl of cheesy carbs solves all the problems 🙂

    Reply
  6. Aimee Wimbush-Bourque says

    August 19, 2013 at 9:57 am

    This is a totally new to me dish – like most Texan food, I guess. One day I’ll just have to come down and have a culinary discovery experience.

    Reply
  7. Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction says

    August 19, 2013 at 10:16 am

    Oooh… Queso Mac is absolutely perfect comfort food, pregnant or not! What a great dish for the baby shower… Thanks so much for joining in the fun!

    Reply
  8. Miss @ Miss in the Kitchen says

    August 19, 2013 at 11:15 am

    I am a total mac & cheese fanatic, I think I will have to have this for supper tonight! What a wonderful addition to Amber’s Baby Shower!

    Reply
  9. Sweetsugarbelle says

    August 19, 2013 at 4:40 pm

    Cheesy carbs do a pregnant body good! This recipe is perfect!

    Reply
  10. Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles says

    August 19, 2013 at 7:19 pm

    Oooooo…love this version of mac and cheese. Add cumin to most anything, and I’m in! So very happy for Amber!!

    Reply
  11. Kate | Food Babbles says

    August 19, 2013 at 7:24 pm

    Oh how I need this in my life!! This sounds amazing. Holy moly, I’m all about mac and cheese and this version is calling my name. What a great addition to the baby shower for Amber.

    Reply
  12. Lauren says

    August 19, 2013 at 9:41 pm

    You are speaking my language right now.

    Also, I am glad I’m not the only person who has eaten an entire box of mac and cheese in one sitting. Pregnancy is fun like that.

    Reply
  13. DessertForTwo says

    August 20, 2013 at 7:13 am

    This is exactly why I love ya. This is my kind of comfort food, too!

    Reply
  14. TidyMom says

    August 20, 2013 at 12:45 pm

    mac and cheese is the answer to everything!!! looks delicious!

    Reply
  15. Julia says

    August 21, 2013 at 11:49 am

    I am loving the spice in this mac & cheese!

    Reply
  16. Jeanne says

    August 21, 2013 at 12:53 pm

    Megan: yum! My hubs and daughter love these tastes–and to combine them is perfect! Thank you! Also, Amber is just about one of the kindest people I know. I’m just thrilled that we could all celebrate her in this way! Also, hugs to your little one! Hopefully I will get to meet him someday!

    Reply
  17. Steff @ The Kitchen Trials says

    August 22, 2013 at 8:47 pm

    I think we’re going to need to make this next all three of us are together. And if we make a double batch and refuse to share it with the boys, well, who’s gonna know but us? =)

    Reply

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