Southwestern Chili Con Queso Pasta Bake

Here is my very first recipe review and I have to be honest.. This dish was AMAZING!! Every so often I come across a recipe in a magazine, recipe book and the Internet and try it.  I love trying new things that I have never had before and I think it is important to expose your kids to those new tastes as well :)

I will be honest with you about this dish, though, it uses A LOT of dishes and leaves you will a sink full.  BUT I think it was totally worth it!

Here's the recipe:
1 lb penne pasta
1 lb ground beef
1 T ground cumin (I didn't put this in mine because I didn't want it to be too spicy for my girls..)
1 T ground coriander
2 T chili powder
1 Large onion, chopped (There is nothing I hate more than chopping onions, so I always use the powered onion.  I think it adds great flavor!)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 jalapeno (again I didn't want to make this too spicy so I used a small can of green chilies instead)
2 T butter
2 T all-purpose flour
2 Cups milk
2.5 C cheddar cheese
1/4 C fresh cilantro
1/2 C fresh parsley, chopped
1 14-oz can diced fire-roasted tomatoes

Preheat the broiler to high and position the rack 8 inches from the heat.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Cook the pasta according to box.

While water is coming to a boil, preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the hamburger.  When the hamburger is almost finished, but still a little pink, throw the garlic, jalapeno, and onions and finish cooking until the burger is browned and onion is translucent.  Drain the grease from the skillet and mix in the cumin, coriander, and chili powder. Take off the heat.

In a medium sauce pot, melt the butter and add the flour to it.  Cook for 1-2 minutes over medium heat and then whisk in the milk.  When the milk comes to a bubble, stir in the cheese, cilantro, and parsley.  When the cheese has melted, stir in the tomatoes.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and add it back into the large pot.  Add the contents of the hamburger and all the cheddar sauce, and stir to combine.  Transfer to a baking dish, sprinkle with a bit more cheese on top, and place under the broiler until just slightly brown.

This was a HUGE hit in my house!  Even with the amount we all ate, half of it is left over. So I would say it would easily feed 6 people :)  

On a taste scale of 1-5 (1 being horrible and 5 being the best) I give this recipe a 5
On an easy to cook with 2 little kids at your feet, I give it a 2.  It has multiple steps and again, it leaves you with quite a sink full of dishes!

ENJOY!!