How to Elevate Your Tostadas with Cantina Chile Con Queso Mac and Cheese
Crafted for the Desert Pepper Blogger Challenge entrée category!
Did you know you can make the yummiest Mac and Cheese from a jar of Dessert Trading Post Chile Con Queso? I just gave it a try, and it turned out so creamy and packed with flavor. Such a tasty shortcut! I encourage you to pick up a jar of Desert Pepper Trading Post Chile Con Queso, and give it a try.
WHAT IS CHILE CON QUESO?
Chile Con Queso is a smoky blend of tomatoes, cheddar cheese, green chiles, jalapeños paprika, yellow onion, roasted red pepper and other ingredients. The smooth and velvety texture of Chile Con Queso creates a creamy base for Mac and Cheese.
HOW TO PREPARE CHILE CON QUESO MAC AND CHEESE
When you are talking about a quick easy midweek dinner, Cantina Chile Con Queso Mac and Cheese Tostadas is the answer! It can be made in under 30 minutes!
Step 1 Cook the pasta as directed on the package; generally 6-9 minutes. Be sure to add salt to the boiling water. Drain pasta; set aside.
Step 2: Toss together the grated cheese and cornstarch together.
Step 3: Melt the butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Add Desert Pepper Trading Post Cantina Red Medium Salsa. Add garlic, cumin, onion powder, and salt; cook for 2 minutes.
Step 4: Add milk, pepper jack cheese, and Desert Pepper Chile Con Queso. Cook sauce over medium heat, stirring frequently until thickened.
Step 6: Add cooked pasta to the cheese sauce and gently fold until well mixed. Keep warm until ready to serve on tostadas shells.
WHERE CAN YOU BUY DESERT PEPPER TRADING COMPANY
SALSAS, BEAN DIPS & QUESO
Purchase Desert Pepper Salsa products at: Sprouts, Publix, Hannaford, Harris Teeter, Shop Rite, Walmart, Giant Eagle, Market Basket, Jewel, Meijer. Whenever I want more Desert Pepper Trading Post products, I type into an Instacart search box, “Desert Pepper”, and up pops all of the local stores, carrying their products. This time, I headed to my local Total Wine & More store and bought more!
WHY WILL YOU LOVE CHILE CON QUESO MAC AND CHEESE TOSTADAS?
Who doesn’t love a comforting warm bowl of cheesy mac and cheese? We all do! But now let’s elevate the flavor with a hint of heat with Cantina Salsa. That’s not all! A standard cheese sauce becomes silky with Chile Con Queso, and let’ not forget the added cheese flavor. A classic dinner dish is served on a tostada shell. The corn crunch with the warm spicy cheese pasta is superb!
DESERT PEPPER BLOGGER RECIPE CHALLENGE
I am honored to be selected as one of 50 bloggers crafting fresh and delicious recipes that show off three Desert Pepper Trading products:
Desert Pepper Cantina Red Medium Salsa
Desert Pepper Peach Mango Medium Salsa
Desert Pepper Chile Con Queso
Check out my other Desert Pepper recipes: Cantina Chicken Meatballs with Chile Con Queso Bean Dip!
FIND OUT MORE INFO AND RECIPES!
Get inspired! Check out: #desertpepperrecipechallenge #desertpeppertradingco #desertpeppersalsa
Cantina Chile Con Queso Mac and Cheese Tostadas
Cantina Chile Con Queso Mac and Cheese Tostadas
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 8 tostadas
Ingredients
7 oz package elbow pasta or preferred pasta, 1 tablespoon salt for pasta water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup Desert Pepper Cantina Salsa Medium
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
4 ounces grated Pepper Jack Cheese or Monterey Jack Cheese
3/4 cup Desert Pepper Chile Con Queso
10 crisp tostada shells (look for premade tostada shells near the taco shells)
Garnish: 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, 1/4 cup chopped scallions, 1/4 cup bacon bits
Instructions:
Cook the pasta as directed in package directions, adding 1 tablespoon of salt to the boiling water before adding pasta. Drain pasta; set aside.
Light toss the grated cheese with the cornstarch, until coated. Note: This can be done on the work surface that the cheese was grated on.
Melt the butter over medium heat in a large skillet.
Add Dessert Pepper Cantina Salsa, and stir for 30 seconds. Add the garlic, cumin, onion powder, and salt; cook for 2 minutes.
Add milk to the salsa mixture; cook for 1 minute or until warm. Gradually add the grated cheese, stirring until almost melted then add Desert Pepper Chile Con Queso.
Adjust heat to low or medium low, and add cooked pasta to the cheese sauce. Gently fold the pasta until well mixed. Add extra milk or Chile Con Queso for desired creaminess.
Serve Cantina Chile Con Queso Mac and Cheese on tostada shells or in taco shells. Garnish with cilantro, scallions and bacon bits.
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