BBQ Chili Mac

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound cavatappi pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 slices bacon, diced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 jalapeno peppers, ribs and seeds removed, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup Neelys BBQ sauce (recipe follows)
• One 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
• One 15-ounce can ranch-style pinto beans
• Dash of hot sauce, preferably Tabasco
• Green onions, sliced, for garnish
• Sour cream, for garnish
• Grated cheddar cheese, for garnish
• 2 cups ketchup
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup apple-cider vinegar
• 5 tablespoons light-brown sugar
• 5 tablespoons granulated white sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
• 1/2 tablespoon ground mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• (makes 3 1/2 cups)

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Once its boiling, add the pasta and cook until its al dente.
3. Drain well in a colander, toss in olive oil, and reserve.
4. Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until it is just lightly crisp and its fat has rendered.
5. Toss in the onion, jalapeno, and garlic, and saute until tender.
6. Add the beef to the veggies to brown, breaking up with a wooden spoon.
7. Plop the tomato paste into the pan, and stir until incorporated.
8. Stir in the BBQ sauce, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and beans, and simmer for 20 minutes, to allow the flavors to marry.
9. Taste for seasoning, and add hot sauce and salt and pepper if desired.
10. Add the pasta to the meat mixture, and stir well to combine.
11. Serve in bowls, garnished with green onions, sour cream, and cheddar cheese.
12. In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients.
13. Bring mixture to a boil, and reduce heat to simmer.
14. Cook, uncovered, stirring frequently, for 1 hour 15 minutes.

kosher salt, pasta, olive oil, bacon, onion, peppers, garlic, lean ground beef, tomato paste, tomatoes, tomatoes, pinto beans, hot sauce, green onions, sour cream, cheddar cheese, ketchup, water, applecider vinegar, lightbrown sugar, white sugar, freshly ground black pepper, onion powder, ground mustard, lemon juice, worcestershire sauce

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/bbq-chili-mac-383978 (may not work)