Dinner 1/18/2011: Fiesta Mac and Cheese

1 lb. shells
1 lb. fresh chorizo, casings removed
8 medium sized jalapenos
4 cherry peppers
1 medium yellow onion
6 large cloves of garlic
1 of each, yellow, orange, red sweet peppers
1 tomato
1 stick of butter
1 lb. block of cheddar cheese (shredded)
1 pt. half and half
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Olive oil
2 tsp. chipotle chili powder
½ sleeve of Ritz crackers
½ cup of panko bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Mince garlic and hot peppers.
3. Medium chop tomato and onion
4. In large skillet, drizzle olive oil, combine garlic/pepper mixture and tomato/onion mixture, salt, pepper, and chipotle chili powder with sausage in skillet and cook over medium high heat, stirring often, stirring often, until onions become translucent until almost all moisture is evaporated from pan.
5. Cook shells until they are just before al dente, remove from heat, drain, add back to pan. Add butter, cream and cheese. Over low heat, stir constantly until cheese is melted.
6. Course chop and seed sweet peppers and add to shells.
7. Add meat and veggie mixture to shells. Stir until combined.
8. Pour into two 3 qt. casserole dishes.
9. Crush crackers and combine with panko and top both dishes.
10. Bake for 25 minutes on lowest rack.
11. Turn oven to broil and, on top rack, broil until top is golden brown.
12. Let stand 10 minutes and enjoy!

 Recipe by John Cookson