Kicked Up! Mac & Cheese

Photo: Lady Catherine Gourmet

Ingredients

1 box of your favorite macaroni

Tomato Sauce:

6 vine ripe tomatoes

5 cloves of garlic – crushed& chopped

1 sweet onion – chopped

1 handful of cilantro – chopped

1 bunch of scallions – chopped

1 medium Jalapeño – chopped with seeds

Dashes of fresh ground black pepper

Dashes of sea salt

1 pinch of sugar

Dashes of dried oregano

Olive Oil for drizzling

Cheese Sauce:

2 cups cubes cheddar cheese

1 cup low-fat or whole milk

Preparation

Tomato Sauce:

Heat a sauce pan with a few drizzles of olive oil and add the garlic, onion, cilantro, scallions and Jalapeño. Sauté until the onions become clear. Add the tomatoes, spices and the pinch of sugar and continue to simmer on low.

Prepare the macaroni as directed on box while the sauce simmers.

Cheese Sauce:

In a medium sauce pot heat the milk and add the cheese to melt. When the cheese is melted add two cups of the tomato sauce to the milk and melted cheese.

Preheat Oven 350 degrees:

Drizzle olive oil over the bottom of a large baking dish. Place the drained macaroni over the bottom of the baking dish and pour the cheese sauce over the macaroni. Top with the rest of the tomato sauce. Place the rest of the cheddar cheese over the top and grate some Romano cheese over the top. Finish off with a drizzle of olive oil over the top.