Spicy Mac & Cheese with Smoked Sausage, Tomatoes and Green Chiles
1 14-ounce package smoked sausage, sliced into rounds
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup frozen chopped onions
4 small cloves garlic, pushed thru a press
1/4 cup white wine
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1 10-ounce can Ro-Tel Tomatoes and Green Chiles, Original Style
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
10 ounces uncooked ziti pasta
2 cups pepper-jack cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded, divided
1/2 cup mild cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
Thinly sliced scallions
Salt and pepper, to taste
Heat oil in an over-proof skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the sausage and onion, and cook until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Add in the garlic, and cook for a minute longer. Add the white wine to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits. Allow to cook for about 5 minutes.
Add the broth, Ro-Tel, heavy cream, uncooked pasta and season with the pepper; Stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until the pasta is tender, about 15 minutes, stirring a few time while cooking to prevent sticking.
Preheat the broiler.
Remove the skillet from heat, and stir in the pepper-jack and 1/4 cup each of the cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack. Add salt if needed. Top with the remaining cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses. Sprinkle the scallions on top. Place skillet in the broiler and broil until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.
Footnotes - Original Style Ro-Tel tomatoes are spicy. They also make a mild version for those of you who do not like a lot of spice. If you prefer a less spicy mac & cheese, use the mild and substitute a little more Monterey Jack cheese for the pepper-jack cheese. It would also be really good with shrimp or chorizo instead of the smoked sausage.
Recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen