Two-Pepper Macaroni and Cheese

This is one of my favorite new recipes-- I just love macaroni and cheese and this is a great variation on it.

Two-Pepper Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients

5 cups uncooked pasta, I use whole-grain rotini (16 ounces uncooked pasta)

2 tablespoons butter, divided

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 cups milk

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon finely chopped pickled jalapeño pepper

1/2 cup sliced green onions

Cooking spray

2 slices wheat bread

one small dash of each: ground nutmeg and ground mustard (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions, and drain.

3. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add to pasta.

4. Add flour to pan. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add cheese, stirring until cheese melts and mixture is smooth. Stir in jalapeño. Add cheese mixture to pasta, tossing well to coat. Stir in green onions. Spoon pasta mixture into a baking dish coated with cooking spray.

5. Place bread slices in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure about 1 cup. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Combine butter and breadcrumbs in a small bowl; toss until blended. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over pasta mixture. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes or until browned.

6. Enjoy! I usually pair this meal with thin ham slices.