Recipe Thursday: Mac and cheese make over!!

This past weekend, I don't think I have ever been soooo relaxed...I didn't know what to do with myself I was so relaxed but it was nice! The best part? It had nothing to do with food! HOWEVER, let's be real... no matter how much you learn that food isn't emotion..that you can break that tie...sometimes we all need something creamy with a lot of down home "did mom make this" warm food...and we feel that way more in the winter. Mac and cheese is one of my favorites so when I found this recipe, I knew I had to share... ENJOY! See http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/baked_mac_cheese.html for the recipe source!

Baked Mac and Cheese

4 servings

Active Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons plain dry breadcrumbs, (see Tip)
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1 16-ounce or 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed
• 1 3/4 cups low-fat milk, divided
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 8 ounces (2 cups) whole-wheat elbow macaroni, or penne

PREPARATION

1. Put a large pot of water on to boil. Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat an 8-inch-square (2-quart) baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Mix breadcrumbs, oil and paprika in a small bowl. Place spinach in a fine-mesh strainer and press out excess moisture.
3. Heat 1 1/2 cups milk in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until steaming. Whisk remaining 1/4 cup milk and flour in a small bowl until smooth; add to the hot milk and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce simmers and thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Cheddar until melted. Stir in cottage cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
4. Cook pasta for 4 minutes, or until not quite tender. (It will continue to cook during baking.) Drain and add to the cheese sauce; mix well. Spread half the pasta mixture in the prepared baking dish. Spoon the spinach on top. Top with the remaining pasta; sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture.
5. Bake the casserole until bubbly and golden, 25 to 30 minutes.

TIPS & NOTES

• Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 4. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, if necessary, then bake for 35 to 45 minutes.
• Tip: To make fresh breadcrumbs, trim crusts from whole-wheat bread. Tear bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. One slice of bread makes about 1/2 cup fresh crumbs. For dry breadcrumbs, spread the fresh crumbs on a baking sheet and bake at 250°F until crispy, about 15 minutes. One slice of fresh bread makes about 1/3 cup dry crumbs. Or use prepared coarse dry breadcrumbs. We like Ian's brand labeled “Panko breadcrumbs.” Find them in the natural-foods section of large supermarkets.

NUTRITION

Per serving:
576 calories
22 g fat ( 11 g sat , 2 g mono )
69 mg cholesterol
63 g carbohydrates
37 g protein
9 g fiber
917 mg sodium
403 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (290% daily value), Calcium (70% dv), Folate (37% dv), Iron (15% dv).

Carbohydrate Servings: 3 1/2

Exchanges: 3 starch, 1 vegetable, 3 1/2 medium-fat meat