Green Chili Mac N Cheese Casserole

1 1/2 lbs uncooked ground beef

3 cloves garlic, minced (or garlic powder if you're in a hurry)

1/2 sweet onion, chopped

1 jar Texas Two-Step Tomatillo & Green Chili Stew Mix (this comes in a big glass jar in a special section at my HEB where they have their cooking connection class in the middle of the store, but you can probably find it in the jar chili section too. It costs about $8 or $9 at HEB, but it's worth it!)

16 ounces elbow macaroni, penne, or farfalle pasta

1 pound Velveeta, cubed

1/2 cup milk or heavy cream (I use 2%)

1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese

1. Heat oven to 350.

2. Cook macaroni according to package directions in large pot.

3. Meanwhile, cook ground beef, garlic, and onions in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

4. Drain macaroni in colander and use that pot to melt together the velveeta, milk, and green chili mix.

5. Once the velveeta is melted, mix that with the macaroni and ground beef either in that pot and then transfer to a 9x13 baking dish or mix it all together in the baking dish.

6. Top with shredded cheese and bake about 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

I know that the chili mix seems expensive, but this dish goes a LONG way. It easily made 8 adult servings plus several kid servings tonight. It's also excellent for leftover lunches and freezes well as leftovers. Enjoy!