Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

jeanne's chili mac

(5 ratings)
Recipe by
Jeanne Benavidez
Odessa, TX

This is a dish my Mom used to make when we were growing up. I don't think it had a name since it was just made up of ingredients she had on hand at the time. It turned out to be one of our favorite, quick meals. I still make it fairly often. I found a picture on the Buttermilk Hill Country Market website to give you an idea of what the dish looks like.

(5 ratings)
yield 6 - 8
prep time 15 Min
cook time 20 Min
method Stove Top

Ingredients For jeanne's chili mac

  • 1 1/2
    ground beef or turkey
  • 1 or 2
    jalapeno peppers, seeded for less heat
  • 1
    med onion, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp
    garlic, chopped
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp
    chili powder
  • 1 tsp
    ground cumin
  • 1 tsp
    oregano, dried, crushed
  • 1 can
    (15 oz.) stewed tomatoes, diced
  • 1 can
    (6 oz) tomato sauce
  • 1 can
    (28 oz) chili beans (ex: ranch style)
  • 1 1/2 c
    uncooked, small, elbow or shell macaroni
  • salt and pepper t taste
  • 2
    green onions, chopped, for garnish
  • shredded cheddar cheese for garnish

How To Make jeanne's chili mac

  • 1
    Prepare pasta in boiling salted water until pasta is aldente (just under-done); drain (reserving @ 2 cups of liquid) and return it to the same large pot. Remove from heat until meat is cooked.
  • 2
    While pasta is cooking, break ground beef into pieces in a large skillet. Add onions, garlic, peppers, salt and pepper. Brown over med-low heat.
  • 3
    Drain off any excess grease and add the meat to the cooked pasta. Place the pot back onto a low burner. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans (do not drain), and all other spices. Gently stir thoroughly until combined.
  • 4
    Cover and simmer until thoroughly hot (@ 10 minutes). Adjust salt, pepper and other spices to suit your taste. If the mixture is too thick, add some of the starchy water from the macaroni to keep this from being too dry.
  • 5
    Serve in bowls topped with green onion and cheese. Great with crackers, tortilla chips, cornbread or cheesy garlic bread.
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