- 1 (8 ounce) package elbow macaroni
- 3/4 pound lean ground beef
- 3 tablespoons adobo seasoning
- 2 teaspoons powdered jalapeno pepper
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons butter
- 1/4 cup cream
- 1 cup light sour cream
- 4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
- 2 cups fat-free cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- salt and white pepper to taste
- 1 cup canned diced green chiles
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
- In a large bowl, mix ground beef with adobo seasoning and powdered jalapeno pepper. Roll into small, 1 inch meatballs. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs, and cook until browned on all sides, then remove to drain on a paper towel-lined plate. The meatballs do not need to be thoroughly cooked at this point as they will finish cooking in the oven.
- While the meatballs are cooking, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Gently cook the butter until it begins to brown, and acquires a nutty fragrance, about 1 minute. Stir in the cream, sour cream, Cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, cotija cheese, garlic powder, and cilantro. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until the cheese has melted. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.
- Stir the cooked macaroni and diced chiles into the cheese sauce, and pour into a 9×13 inch baking dish. Slice the meatballs in half, and place onto the pasta cut-side down.
- Bake in preheated oven until the cheese sauce is bubbly, and the meatballs are no longer pink in the center, about 25 minutes.