Macaroni 'n' Cheese Italiano |
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Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 25 Minutes |
Ready In: 45 Minutes Servings: 6 |
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I've always liked macaroni and cheese, but my husband prefers macaroni with tomato sauce. So I added spaghetti sauce and mozzarella to give my mac and cheese an Italian flavor, writes Isabelle Wolters of Scituate, Massachusetts. Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni |
3/4 cup chopped onion |
1/4 cup chopped celery |
1/4 cup chopped green pepper |
2 teaspoons olive oil |
1/2 cup meatless spaghetti sauce |
1/2 teaspoon dried basil |
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano |
2 tablespoons king arthur unbleached all-purpose flour |
1/2 teaspoon salt |
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg |
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper |
2 cups fat-free milk |
1-1/4 cups shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese |
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese |
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese |
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and sliced |
Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions until cooked but firm. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, saute the onion, celery and green pepper in oil until tender. Stir in spaghetti sauce, basil and oregano. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Drain macaroni; stir into sauce. Transfer to a 2-qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray; set aside.
2. In a saucepan, combine the flour, salt, nutmeg and cayenne. Gradually stir in milk until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; stir in cheddar and mozzarella cheeses until melted.
3. Pour over macaroni mixture. Top with Parmesan cheese and tomatoes. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Yield: 6 servings.
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