One-pot chili mac and cheese

The boyfriend found this recipe.  I admit, I looked quickly and thought "eh" - I read it as chili in my mac and cheese and I didn't want anybody messing with my mac and cheese!  But I'm so glad he convinced me to try it!  It's really a beanless chili recipe with pasta added, and the sour cream and cheese that you would put on top - it's stirred in.  Actually, it's become one of our favorite dinners.  Note: we use plain petite diced tomatoes and skip the two optional ingredients (hot sauce and green onions).

Ingredients

1. 1 tablespoon olive oil
2. 1 pound lean ground beef
3. 1 onion, diced
4. 2 cloves garlic, minced
5. 14-ounce can Red Gold Petite Diced Tomatoes With Green Chiles
6. 1 tablespoon chili powder
7. 1 teaspoon ground cumin
8. 1 teaspoon dried oregano
9. 2 cups water
10. 1 cup milk
11. 8 ounces pasta, shells, or any short cut pasta of your choice
12. 1/2 cup sour cream
13. 2 cups shredded cheddar
14. 4 green onions, chopped (optional)
15. Hot sauce, optional

Directions

1. In a large heavy-bottomed pot, add the olive oil and heat it over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef along with the onion and a small pinch of salt. Cook the mixture for about 5 to 6 minutes, or until the ground beef is fully cooked and the onions have developed some color (make sure to break up the ground beef as much as you can using a wooden spoon. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 more minute.
2. Add the water, canned tomatoes, milk, chili powder, cumin, and oregano; bring mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Add the pasta, adjust the seasoning to taste, cover the pot with a lid, and cook for another 10 minutes.
4. Once the pasta is cooked, remove from the heat and stir in the cheese until fully melted along with the sour cream.
5. Serve with some chopped scallions and a few dashes of hot sauce.