It’s that magical time of year again when so many of my weekends or days off are spent at the beach, by the pool, or at afternoon/evening cookouts with friends and family – and so many of those occasions and gatherings involve preparing the perfect side dish to share with everyone. It’s a Summertime tradition and one I’m very fond of since a good meal truly can bring a community and neighborhood together – and what better time of year to do it!
I’m a big fan of macaroni and cheese, of course, but I also love elote-inspired anything and everything – from deviled eggs to dips. So, this past weekend when the sun was shining and everyone was heading outside to swim, tan and grill, I put together a quick and easy side dish that was full of wonderful flavors and just the right amount of heat. Best of all? You can use boxed macaroni and cheese if you need/want to whip this up in a pinch!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
2-4 SERVINGS:
- 1 box of Goodles brand “Twist My Parm” macaroni & cheese
- 1 cup corn (canned, drained)
- 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ cup cotija cheese
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- Tajín seasoning blend (to taste)
- Finely chopped cilantro (optional)
WHAT YOU’LL DO:
1. Prepare the Goodles mac & cheese according to package instructions. While your water is boiling and/or pasta is cooking, combine the corn, mayonnaise, lime juice and chili powder in a small bowl to prepare a corn crema.
2. Once the mac & cheese is prepared and evenly coated with the packaged cheese, spoon the corn crema into the pasta and gently stir to combine evenly over and throughout the noodles.
3. Top the mac & cheese with some cotija cheese, tajin seasoning, and cilantro. Serve and enjoy!
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I could literally eat this all day every day in the Summertime. It’s such a hassle-free and mostly mess-free dish to prepare that can feed a lot of people at once, and goes along great with traditional hamburgers and hot dogs – and it’s a spicy little alternative to the usual pasta or potato salads I see this time of year.
I think this is the Summer where I’m going to seek out more elote/elote-inspired recipes to try out at home, but I’m sure glad I found this one right before the start of the season! It’s delicious!
xo
Coffee & Chiffon 