Salsa Mac & Cheese

I love homemade macaroni and cheese.  I make it rather frequently.  The classic version is great, but it also begs to be jazzed up a little.  I've been wanting to try it with salsa for a long time and finally got around to it tonight.  I shouldn't have waited so long- it was delicious!

Here's the recipe...

1 lb. pasta
5 tbsp butter
5 tbsp flour
4 cups milk, warmed up in the microwave
salt and pepper, to taste
8 oz. cheddar cheese, cubed (I use light cheddar so that I can convince myself this is a healthy recipe)
8 oz. monterey jack cheese, cubed
15.5 oz. jar hot salsa
2 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 350.   Cook pasta until al dente and drain. 

While you're cooking the pasta melt the butter in a sauce pan.  Add the flour and stir constantly for a minute or two to make a roux.  Whisk in the heated milk a little at a time.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer.  Stir in salt and pepper and stir often, until sauce thickens.  Remove sauce from heat and stir in cheese, until melted.  Mix in salsa.

Combine cheese sauce and pasta and pour into greased baking pan.

Melt butter in a medium skillet.  Add panko bread crumbs and saute for a couple of minutes, until lightly browned.  Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture.

Bake uncovered for 45-55 minutes.

Enjoy- but make sure you let it cool a little bit before digging in or you'll burn your tongue!