September 7, 2008

Beth vs. Macaroni & Cheese ---- VICTORY!

I couldn't stand being a failure at my mac & cheese attempt and I am a total perfectionist when it comes to my baking and cooking. I always analyze my dishes and ask tasters what they think about the flavor and the texture...etc. I'm sure it gets annoying! So rather than accept defeat, I decided to take my friend Val's suggestion and try the Weight Watchers Baked Macaroni & Cheese. Ooooooh, am I sure glad that I did! Val, I love ya babe!

This was a really tangy and creamy dish and with very little fat. It was only 5 points per 1 cup serving.

We had one farmers market tomato left over, so I chopped it up and threw it into the mix. Next time, I'll try another vegetable b/c we both liked having something else with the noodles. I'm sure broccoli, peas, spinach or even meat (for you non-Kosher folks) would be a great addition. Keep in mind though, if you add anything other than vegetables, it will change the points, so re-calculate accordingly.

Ingredients:
12 oz uncooked elbow macaroni (I used whole wheat)
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
12 oz can of fat-free evaporated milk
8 oz low-fat shredded cheese, either cheddar or colby
1 TBS dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp nutmeg
2 TBS bread crumbs
2 TBS grated parmesan cheese

Instructions:
Cook the pasta (without oil or salt) according to box directions. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. While it's still hot, mix in the sour cream and set aside. If using an add-in, such as tomatoes or peas, mix them in now also.
Heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until tiny bubbles form around the edges (known as scalding). Turn the heat to low and mix in all the cheese. Keep stirring with a whisk until everything melts (about 1 minute or so).
Remove pan from heat, mix in mustard, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Pour the cheese over noodles and mix well.
Combine bread crumbs and parmesan cheese together.
Pour everything into a 3-quart casserole dish and sprinkle the top with the bread crumbs and cheese. Bake at 350 for about 20-30 minutes, until the top is golden brown.


3 comments:

Anonymous said...Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

Hooray! I am so glad you liked it. It's on the dinner menu for sometime this week. I've made it for a lot of potlucks, and because we ALWAYS have pasta in the house, it's no problem to just pick up the cheese, evap milk, and FF sour cream. We make it with whole wheat pasta too, usually penne or rotini since we can buy it in bulk from Costco. Actually, I've never made it with macaroni! :) We'll try that next. Mazel tov!

Welcome to our crazy blessed life said...Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

Thanks Beth for visiting my blog! Your baking and cooking adventures look like fun! :) I am going to have to try this mac and cheese recipe!

What's Cookin Chicago said...Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

WW friendly Mac & Cheese?! I'm sold! This looks great and cheesy, just the way I love it :)