Ranch Style Chicken Mac and Cheese... Definition of comfort food

Ahhh, the comfort of mac and cheese. It's simple to make and fairly cheap. Serve this version of an old standby to your family, and it will quickly become a favorite. The kids are getting good carbs and they always love this recipe.

 Ingredients:

1/2 (16-oz.) package cellentani pasta
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 (10-oz.) can diced tomatoes and green chiles
1 (8-oz.) package Velveeta, cubed
3 cups chopped cooked chicken ( I just get rotisseried chicken pieces from the supermarket in advance...much easier ) 
1 (10 3/4-oz.) can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream ( or sub. low fat cottage cheese ) 
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese


Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare pasta according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper, and sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in tomatoes and green chiles and prepared cheese product; cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Stir in chicken, next 4 ingredients, and hot cooked pasta until blended. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 10-inch cast-iron skillet or 11- x 7-inch baking dish; sprinkle with shredded Cheddar cheese.

3. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly. I always serve a bit of garden salad with pasta. It makes the meal more colorful and gives the diner contrasting textures for their palate. Bon appetit !