One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese

The last few days my little 16 month old had been battling a cold. While it doesn't seem to really bother her all that much the non stop coughing, snuggling, and runny nose has been driving me crazy. I don't sit still well and don't particularly like being touched. I'll do it for my little girl but, boy, it's grating on my nerves. So, to appease my annoyance and lack of gym time, I decided to indulge in some comfort food. 

One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 8 ounces ground beef
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 3/4 cup canned white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 3/4 cup canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 10 ounces uncooked elbows pasta
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add garlic, onion and ground beef, and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks; drain excess fat.
• Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes, beans, chili powder and cumin; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a simmer and stir in pasta. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until pasta is cooked through, about 13-15 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Top with cheese and cover until melted, about 2 minutes.
• Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

This is something I chose to make out of pure selfishness. My husband wouldn't touch with with a ten foot pole. If this was the only thing he could eat for the rest of his life he would probably choose to starve to death and get it over with quickly. It has beans, a conglomeration of ingredients in a single pot, and could loosely be deems a type of soup. All things he hates with an untold passion. Not to mention that if even even smells a whiff of cumin he starts asking the last time the litter has been changed. 

Me, I think it sounds, and smells, fantastic. 

I adore chili, I like pasta, and cheese finds itself into nearly everything I eat. Needless to say, it would be hard for this to fail. You know what? It didn't. It was easy to put together, didn't require much of my attention, fairly inexpensive, and not a lot of dishes to do afterward. What a winner! This also provided a lot of leftovers which will keep me from having to be chained in the kitchen over the next day or so. So many things to be appreciative of all in one dish. Thank you, thank you person who provided this recipe. 

Now, back to my regularly scheduled baby snuggles. 

(Recipe and photo taken from Damn Delicious)