Baked Mac & Cheese

Hi Everyone,

This past week it has rained everyday.  It was gorgeous the week before and I thought for sure spring was here.  But now, it’s cold, windy and rainy.  With this ugly weather I was craving comfort food.  Funny the week before I wanted strawberries, and salads and now I want warm food that makes me feel good.  So I finally made Baked Mac & Cheese.  I love macaroni and cheese, it is one of my favorite indulgences.  When I was a kid I would not touch homemade macaroni and cheese, but as an adult I love it.  So today let me share with you the ultimate Mac & Cheese.

You’ll have to forgive me, I was so hungry that I didn’t take a picture of the inside of my dish.  I was rushing around, I’m sorry.  The Mac & Cheese is creamy, thick and is a little salty from the cheese. It’s amazing!  It’s the perfect Mac & cheese if you ask me.

I made this dish with Swiss and Gruyere cheese that I bought at Trader Joe’s.  I was going to only add two cups, but I said heck, I’ll throw in the whole package.  I was out of milk, so I used  fat-free half and half.  The half and half really gives it a creamy kick.  You will love that!  It’s so easy to put together and I had fun making it. I felt like a chef on Diners, Drive-In’s and Dives.  I will tell you this dish is not healthy.  It’s full of protein, but it’s something to have as a small side dish, not one to eat as the meal its self.

Here is a picture of it before I put it in the oven and added my panko bread crumbs.

Baked Mac & Cheese

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

45 mins

 

Creamy, thick, cheesy baked macaroni with Swiss & Gruyere Cheese with a slightly crispy topping. The ultimate mac & cheese!

Author: Jennifer Drummond

Recipe type: Macaroni

Cuisine: American

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 8 oz elbow macaroni
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 3 cups fat free half & half
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 2 tbsp. flour
• 1 tsp. mustard powder (or dijon mustard)
• 12 oz. (3 cups) Trader Joe's Shredded Swiss & Gruyere Cheese Blend
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. ground pepper
• ½ cup panko bread crumbs
• smoked paprika (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Spray a 2 qt. baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
3. Cook pasta according to directions, to al dente (not completely cooked). Pour into colander to drain; set aside.
4. In a measuring cup, beat the egg and add the half and half; set aside.
5. In the pot that you cooked the pasta in, add butter, flour and mustard powder; whisk until no lumps remain. Pour in the milk and egg mixture, cheese and salt & pepper. Whisk until cheese is melted and it starts to slightly simmer and thicken up; about 10 minutes.
6. Pour cooked pasta into cheese mixture and mix until well combined. Pour into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with panko bread crumbs. I also add a sprinkle of smoked paprika.
7. Bake in oven for 30 - 40 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and topping is lightly golden.
8. Let cool for a few minutes and serve immediately.

Notes

You can also use cheddar cheese if you like.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: approx. ¾ cup Calories: 354 Fat: 15 Carbohydrates: 33 Sugar: 3.8 Sodium: 184 Fiber: 1 Protein: 19 Cholesterol: 17

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3.4.3177

Yum, yum!  I cannot wait to make this again.  Next time, I’ll add some veggies, maybe some chicken and make it more of a  complete meal.  You can tell my wheels are spinning with ideas.

Have a fabulous weekend!

Toodles,

Jennifer