Cravings are a funny thing. It’s almost like your body knows what it needs and relays that info to your brain for execution. For example, if I have had a few days of over-indulging, my body will crave a big detoxifying green juice, and who am I to deny that craving?
On the other hand, if I was eating really well, sometimes I’ll just crave a bowl of cheesy mac and cheese, dang it! I am a firm believer in “all things in moderation” and I’m not saying this is terrible for you, but I am saying you might need a green juice the next day.
Here in Kentucky, corn is more than plentiful this time of year, so I am constantly trying to think of ways to use the sweet cash crop while its at its peak.
In combination with the slightly spicy roasted poblanos and the salty bacon, they make the perfect flavor trio for this creamy mac and cheese. Be sure to pin this one for when you’re having an “unbutton your pants” kind of day!
Corn and Poblano Mac and Cheese with Bacon
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked short cut pasta, I used rotini
- 4 oz bacon, chopped (about 4 slices)
- 1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (off roughly 2 ears)
- 1 roasted poblano pepper, chopped
- 1/2 medium onion, small diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tbsp butter, but into pieces
- 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 1/2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain.
- Place bacon in a large saute pan and heat over medium-high heat. Saute bacon until crispy and fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve about 2 tbsp of the bacon fat and return the pan to medium heat.
- Add corn, poblano, onions, and garlic, and saute until tender and onions are translucent, another five minutes.
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add flour and whisk to make a paste.
- Whisking constantly, cook for about 30 seconds before adding the milk. Continue whisking until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add 2 cups of cheese and stir until melted. Then add sour cream, salt, and pepper, and stir until incorporated.
- Add drained macaroni and corn mixture to the cheese sauce, stir well to combine.
- Transfer to a baking dish and top with an additional 1/2 cup of cheese and reserved bacon.
- Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes. Serve warm.
Notes
Check out this link for a great tutorial on how to roast a poblano pepper! If you can't do this, the recipe would be great with a jarred roasted red pepper as well, which are very easy to find.
