Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese

I absolutely love mac and cheese. It is one of my two absolute favorite go-to recipes when I am not in the mood to make dinner (the other is pizza, but I don't always have fresh dough on hand). To me, making mac and cheese is no big deal, and definitely worth the work. I am worried though that I may be pushing my luck with making mac and cheese so often. I pushed my luck with chick flicks and and my husband. For a while there, every time we went to the movies, my husband wanted to know if s**t blows up. I think I have taken him to enough action movies lately that I have reversed my karma. But I digress.

The other night I wasn't in the mood to come up with something for dinner, so I thought, mac and cheese! But then I worried that Marshall might start complaining "not mac and cheese, AGAIN!" so I had to come up with a unique twist. I started to think about what I had on hand, and Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese came to mind.

With my recent love of Pinterest, it may surprise you that I did not go there for the recipe. I just decided to use my tried and true recipe, with a few tweaks. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we did!

Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese

Makes 4 normal, or 2 large servings

4 ounces short pasta (I love cavatappi)
4 slices bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons butter (1 1/2 if using bacon drippings)
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup unsalted chicken stock
1/4 cup half and half
2 ounces extra sharp cheddar, grated
salt and pepper
1/4 sliced pickled jalapenos, chopped
1 teaspoon pickled jalapeno juice
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon olive oil.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook pasta one minute less than package directions. While pasta is cooking, cook the bacon. Drain bacon on paper towels, and reserve fat, if you would like the smoky flavor. Drain pasta, set aside.

Melt butter and bacon drippings (if you reserve the bacon drippings, add only enough butter to equal two tablespoons) in pan used to cook pasta. Add flour and cook for a minute or two, over medium/high heat. Slowly add half and half and chicken stock, whisking away any lumps. Continue to whisk until bubbly and thick. Turn off the heat and season with salt, pepper, and jalapeno juice. Add in 1 ounce of the grated extra sharp cheddar, and stir until melted. Add in the chopped jalapenos and bacon. Stir to combine. Add in the cooked pasta. If the sauce seems runny, that is okay.

Add mac and cheese to 1 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1 ounce extra sharp cheddar, then panko bread crumbs. Drizzle bread crumbs with olive oil. Bake, uncovered, until brown and crispy, about 20 minutes. Let cool for a couple minutes before serving.

Nutrition Info*
Calories 335 

*According to LoseIt.com calculation of 4 servings

I miss the old days on the Disney Channel

Most people know this about me, but for those that don't, I'm a bit of a Disney freak. I have been to  Walt Disney World 7 times in the last four years, and had the chance to finally visit Disneyland last December. I grew up obsessed with Disney movies, like most kids, I am sure.

Today, Hallmark Channel had some classic Disney movies on its schedule. Swiss Family Robinson, Pollyanna and then the modern version of The Parent Trap (and as much as I love the original Haley Mills version, the Lindsay Lohan movie totally does it justice).

This made me think back to growing up and staying up late to watch classic Disney movies on the Disney Channel. I absolutely loved all of the movies with Kurt Russel (The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, The Barefoot Executive, and my FAVORITE The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit), Dean Jones (The Million Dollar Duck, The Ugly Dachshund, and all those original Herbie movies), and Tommy Kirk (Swiss Family Robinson, The Shaggy Dog, and Old Yeller).

I remember back in the late 80s and early 90s, The Wonderful World of Disney/The Disney Sunday Movie remade many of the classic movies from the 60s. Kurt Cameron reprized many roles originated by Kurt Russel. My mom and I were both in love with the actor that played Davy Crockett in the 80s remake. I loved those movies just as much as the originals. I guess Disney's plan in the mid-to-late 90s and 2000s of remaking movies for the big screen (Flubber, The Shaggy Dog, Freaky Friday, Herbie Fully Loaded, and The Parent Trap) has brought these movies to a new generation. But what about the originals? I wish the new Disney Channel would bring back these classics, so that my nieces and nephews (the ones I currently have, and the future ones) can fall in love with these wacky characters like I did.

Here is a short list of my favorites, not already mentioned:

Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Mary Poppins
The Apple Dumpling Gang
Babes in Toyland
The AbsentedMinded Professor
The Misadventures of Merlin Jones
The Monkey's Uncle