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5 from 4 votes

Author: From Cupcakes to Caviar

Ingredients

  • 1 1 lb box ziti cooked, drained, set aside
  • 1 ½ lbs ground beef preferably chuck
  • ½ pound Mexican Chorizo sausage
  • 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles
  • 1 jar Classico Brand Roasted Poblano Alfredo Sauce can sub home made sauce or Alfredo sauce w/out the poblano but if so, add more chipotle and/or jalapeno
  • 1 medium green bell pepper chopped
  • 1 small jalapeno seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 lb freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • 2 cups freshly grated mozzarella cheese
  • ½ cup sliced green onions for garnish
  • Sour cream for garnish

Instructions

  • Break up the Chorizo sausage into a large pan (remove casings if necessary). Add the ground beef and saute them together over medium high heat until nicely browned.
  • Drain the meat, reserving about 1 tablespoon of the drippings.
  • In the same pan, add the chopped onions, green pepper, jalapenos and garlic. Saute, stirring frequently, until the onions and peppers are limp, about five minutes.
  • Add the meat back into the pan along with the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, jar of Alfredo sauce and the ground chipotle. Simmer for 30 minutes to an hour, depending on your own time constraints.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Grease a 13x 9 inch pan (preferably a glass one... they don't leave off flavors like metal can with an acidic sauce)
  • Take the pasta you had already cooked and drained and add it to the sauce. Stir well (but gently) to combine.
  • Combine all the grated cheese. Add all of the cheese but 1 ½ cups to the pasta mixture. Stir well.
  • Pour into the prepared pan and smooth down. Top with the remaining cheese.
  • Put pan on on a cookie sheet (trust me on this... I could send you photos of my oven bottom as proof that you need to if you'd like :-P ) and bake casserole at 350 degrees until heated through, bubbly and cheese is melted, about 30 minutes.
  • Let rest for about ten minutes before cutting. Garnish with green onions and sour cream.