Cajun Mac

I was in the mood for something spicy and Cajun style. So I paired Andouille sausage and blackened chicken for this week's macaroni.

- 1/2 bag elbow macaroni

- 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper

- 1/4 cup diced green bell pepper

- 1 cup sliced fully cooked Andouille sausage

- 1 cup diced chicken

- 1 cup pepper jack cheese

- 1 cup mild cheddar cheese

- 1 tsp dried basil

-1 tsp dried thyme

-1 tsp garlic powder

-1 tsp white pepper

-1 tsp black pepper

- 1 tsp salt

- 1 tsp cayenne pepper

- 1 tsp paprika

- 1tbsp Cajun seasoning

- 1/4 cup milk

- 2 tbsp unsalted butter or margarine

- 1 tbsp flour

- water

- salt and pepper to taste

Bring a pot of water to boil. Add salt to the water. Drop in elbow macaroni and cook for 7-9 minutes or until the macaroni is al dente. Once macaroni is finished cooking, drain and set aside.

Heat a pan on medium high heat and spray with non-stick spray. In a bowl combine dried basil, thyme, black and white peppers, salt, garlic powder, paprika and cayenne pepper. With a spoon gently mix all spices together. In an effort to save time, I bought a package of Tyson's grilled chicken strips and cut them up into small chunks. If you want to use a regular chicken breast you can do that too, it'll just take a little longer to cook. Take pieces of chicken and roll them around in the bowl of spices. Then place on heated pan. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces. If you use pre-grilled chicken like I did, cook one each side for about 2 minutes each or until seasoning on chicken is "blackened." As each piece is cooked set aside.

In a sauce pan begin making your cheese sauce. Heat pan on medium-high heat. Add margarine or butter and allow to melt fully before adding flour. Once you add flour, use a whisk to make sure all flour is incorporated with the melted butter. Add milk Turn the heat to low and allow milk to heat up for about a minute or so. After about a minute or so return heat to medium and add cheddar cheese and pepper jack. Whisk to quickly melt. Add Cajun seasoning. Add peppers and cook for 2-3 minutes to soften the peppers. Then add blackened chicken and Andouille sausage.

Add the macaroni directly to the sauce pot Fold in macaroni with cheese and peppers until it is fully incorporated. Add salt and pepper. Serve.