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

Author: Jennifer Drummond

Nutrition Information

Serves: 8

Serving size: approx. ¾ cup
Calories: 354

Fat: 15
Carbohydrates: 33
Sugar: 3.8
Sodium: 184
Fiber: 1
Protein: 19
Cholesterol: 17

Recipe type: Macaroni

Cuisine: American

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 45 mins

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

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

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Spray a 2 qt. baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
Cook pasta according to directions, to al dente (not completely cooked). Pour into colander to drain; set aside.
In a measuring cup, beat the egg and add the half and half; set aside.
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.
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.
Bake in oven for 30 - 40 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and topping is lightly golden.
Let cool for a few minutes and serve immediately.

Notes

You can also use cheddar cheese if you like.

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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