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1
Preheat the oven to 400F.
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2
Slice the tortillas into 1-inch strips.
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3
Coat with cooking spray and scatter on a rimmed baking sheet.
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4
Bake until crisp and light golden in color, about 10 minutes, then season with salt and reserve.
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5
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
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6
Salt the water, then add the pasta and cook to al dente.
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7
Drain well.
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8
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat with the EVOO.
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9
Brown the meat, then add the onions, 4 of the chopped garlic cloves, and 2 of the chopped jalapenos, and cook until the onions are tender.
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10
Season the mixture with the tomato paste, chili powder, coriander, and cumin.
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11
Let the mixture cook for a minute or two, then add the beer or stock and reduce the heat to a simmer.
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12
While the meat is cooking, make the cheese sauce.
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13
In a sauce pot over medium heat, melt the butter.
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14
Add the flour and whisk for a minute, then add the milk.
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15
Cook until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, 3 to 4 minutes.
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16
Melt in 2 1/2 cups of the cheese, then fold in the tomatoes with chiles.
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17
Pour the sauce over the drained pasta, toss, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
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18
In a medium skillet, heat the refried beans with a splash of water over medium heat.
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19
To build the casserole, spread the beef mixture out in the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish.
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20
Spread the refried beans in an even layer, then spoon on the mac n cheese and sprinkle the reserved 1/2 cup cheese over the top.
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21
Pop the casserole into the oven and bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
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22
While the casserole is baking, make the salsa by combining the plum tomatoes, remaining jalapeno peppers, red onion, and cilantro in a small bowl.
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23
Season the salsa with salt, the zest of 1 lime, and the juice of 2 limes.
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24
For the guacamole sour cream, scoop the flesh of the avocados into the bowl of a food processor and add the sour cream, lemon juice, the remaining 2 garlic cloves, and hot sauce to taste.
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25
Process until creamy.
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26
When the casserole comes out of the oven, top it with the crispy corn strips and shredded iceberg lettuce.
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27
Top the lettuce with the salsa, add dollops of guacamole sour cream, and finally, sprinkle with the chopped olives with pimientos and chopped scallions.
