Macaroni and Cheese

HealthyChanges2010
HealthyChanges2010 Posts: 5,831 Member
edited September 20 in Recipes
Macaroni and Cheese

(Vegetarian Times Magazine)

Serves 8

The secret to slimming down this classic recipe? Finding just the right proportions for the cream sauce and cheese. For extra flavor and crunch, try folding in chopped green onion and sprinkling breadcrumbs on top.

INGREDIENTS 10 oz. medium elbow macaroni (3 cups)

2 Tbs. unsalted butter plus more for brushing pan

2 Tbs. unbleached white flour

2½ cups low-fat milk

2¼ cups grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (5 oz.), divided

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Cook macaroni according to package directions until al dente. Drain.

3. Melt 2 Tbs. butter in saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour, and cook 1 minute. Add milk, and cook 6 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly.

4. Remove from heat; stir in 1½ cups cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over noodles, and combine.

5. Transfer to 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining ¾ cup cheese. Bake 45 minutes, or until top is crisp and beginning to brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

PER SERVING: 269 CAL, 12 G PROT, 11 G TOTAL FAT (6 G SAT FAT), 31 G CARB,

31 MG CHOL, 447 MG SOD, 1 G FIBER, 5 G SUGARS
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Replies

  • shannahrose
    shannahrose Posts: 585 Member
    bump
  • HealthyChanges2010
    HealthyChanges2010 Posts: 5,831 Member
    bump
    tee hee hee Now that's what I'd call a 'quick mac and cheese' BUMP!:laugh: :wink:
  • tntrav44
    tntrav44 Posts: 100 Member
    BUMP! I miss mac and cheese so much!! I thought I would never have it again haha! Thanks! :)
  • byHISstrength
    byHISstrength Posts: 984 Member
    Bump...I love mac and cheese and this recipe is similar to the way I already make it.
  • julierose
    julierose Posts: 19 Member
    This sounds great! (What does BUMP mean?) :-)
  • HealthyChanges2010
    HealthyChanges2010 Posts: 5,831 Member
    BUMP! I miss mac and cheese so much!! I thought I would never have it again haha! Thanks! :)
    :tongue: I hear ya Girl!! I totally understand completly!

    This one can even be tweeked some if someone wants a bit less of whatever they chose on the Nutrition part.:drinker:
  • HealthyChanges2010
    HealthyChanges2010 Posts: 5,831 Member
    This sounds great! (What does BUMP mean?) :-)

    It can mean several things on message boards, I think the early bumps on this thread are so those that want to check back later have it in their 'My Topics' section so they can refer back. (If you look now this thread will be in your 'My Topics' section since you responded to the thread). :flowerforyou:

    If a thread gets discovered by someone and it hasn't been around awhile and someone feels others would benefit by it 'bump' it is used to bring it to the top of the Recent Threads again.

    Another way bump is used is a compliment to the writer of a piece or some cool info that's been shared that a member feels deserves to be bumped up the threads for others to view again.

    Make sense? if not I can try again:laugh: :wink:
  • julierose
    julierose Posts: 19 Member
    Thanks! That's what my friend said, but I didn't understand what she was saying. Now I get it! haha!
  • HealthyChanges2010
    HealthyChanges2010 Posts: 5,831 Member
    Thanks! That's what my friend said, but I didn't understand what she was saying. Now I get it! haha!
    :bigsmile:
  • hamiltonba
    hamiltonba Posts: 474 Member
    What is a serving? 1 cup? 1/2 cup?etc....
  • kgasser
    kgasser Posts: 333 Member
    ummmmm, says serves 8, so I would guess 1/8th? :bigsmile:
  • Pieater
    Pieater Posts: 40
    Hrm, I might just try to massage this into a lactose free (and/or vegan) version using margarine (veggie oil), soy/rice/almond milk and soy based cheddar cheese such as Veggie Shreds. I love to cook great meals, but I could live on a pan of good mac and cheese for about 3 days a week, especially with a crispy bread crumb or crushed Club Cracker crust on top.
  • HealthyChanges2010
    HealthyChanges2010 Posts: 5,831 Member
    Hrm, I might just try to massage this into a lactose free (and/or vegan) version using margarine (veggie oil), soy/rice/almond milk and soy based cheddar cheese such as Veggie Shreds. I love to cook great meals, but I could live on a pan of good mac and cheese for about 3 days a week, especially with a crispy bread crumb or crushed Club Cracker crust on top.

    Good for you! I think it could easily be tweaked to be even healthier than the current recipe. But even the recipe shared isn't to bad if you allot for it. Perhaps tossing some veggies in it might add some nice color.

    Glad you guys are enjoying the recipe, ohhhh I so know what you're all saying about Mac and Cheese, it's tasty and definitely at the top of most ppl's comfort food list. So to be able to enjoy it and know it's a healthier version is even better:wink:

    YAY for Veggie Times giving it a bit of a makeover:drinker: :tongue:

    Would love to know who ends up making it and how you all liked it and if you tweaked it and how:happy: :flowerforyou:
  • weaklink109
    weaklink109 Posts: 2,831 Member
    You could use whole wheat or multi-grain pasta which, I think would increase the fiber content, and it would lower the overall glycemic effects
  • HealthyChanges2010
    HealthyChanges2010 Posts: 5,831 Member
    What is a serving? 1 cup? 1/2 cup?etc....

    It didn't say in regards to cup measurements but it suggested using a 13 x9 baking pan. Yea I know..:ohwell: how do you cut that up 8 ways right?:laugh:

    I've read some pretty ingenious ways some on here do measurements. Some weight the dish before and then after it's cooked and then divide it by 8 then weight the food portion. I think I got that right?? Surely there might be far easier ways but that's something another MFP member shared when they want to be really accurate in their food diary and unsure how else to do it.

    So up for any ideas folks come up with. I'm not too worried about dividing it up but I know it can be easier if the recipe shares how much it is to measure it out in cup increments .

    Oh for a spellchecker on this site!:tongue: lol My apolgies for butchering any spelling, I type fast, my brain moves at lightening speed and later find the craziest things on my posts, almost appear to be made up words.:blushing:

    Off to the gym,
    Happy Friday All :drinker: :heart:
  • sessy1011
    sessy1011 Posts: 30
    BUMP!
  • Яaquel
    Яaquel Posts: 90
    BUMP!
  • KoriBarry
    KoriBarry Posts: 28 Member
    bump!
  • sassydot
    sassydot Posts: 141
    easy enough to work out how much a serve is if you measure the depth of the pan you put it into, how full it is, and the base measurement... then convert that into cups, then divide by 8!

    Say you use a 13 x 9 pan and it ends up being to a depth in that pan of 2"(just a rough guess because I have no idea how deep it would be)... then its 16 cups, so a serve is aroundabout 2 cups. (approx 14.6 cubic inches to a cup)

    it's easy to work out, no matter what size the pan you use is! (pan base x depth / 14.6 = total cups /8 = cups per serve)
  • kgasser
    kgasser Posts: 333 Member
    weigh the pan before you cook it, cook it, weight then pan after cooked then subtract original pan weight and devide by 8. Go by weight and you will know for certain and won't have to take only 1 serving sizes if you don't want to!
  • HealthyChanges2010
    HealthyChanges2010 Posts: 5,831 Member
    weigh the pan before you cook it, cook it, weight then pan after cooked then subtract original pan weight and devide by 8. Go by weight and you will know for certain and won't have to take only 1 serving sizes if you don't want to!
    I like your idea! I find it a simple way to do it each time on the multiple serving dishes we make. I had heard this idea before, and perhaps it was another post on a thread by you? I'm not sure but it can simplify when a dish doesn't give a serving size in cup or gram measurements.

    I've yet to try this method but good to know for the future recipes!:drinker: :happy:

    Be nice if they all did, but you've made a good point, if a person uses your method you really can control the portion size to whatever you want it to be, less or more and easily figure it out.

    Glad you shared:flowerforyou:
    Becca:heart:
  • kgasser
    kgasser Posts: 333 Member
    Nope, not a post by me, but thanks, it really does work well. I am a person that wants every last crumb due to me, so I generally wiegh in grams, but just did this today with a meatloaf my hubby cooked and it was great knowing the exact amount instead of guestimating!

    Takes a few seconds of "work it out" time, but saves in trying to figuring it out by looking at other people's numbers!
  • slim4lyf
    slim4lyf Posts: 33 Member
    Thanks for spelling out my Dinner tonight. I am going to make half your recipe and the other half I will add Broccoli for future use.
    Cutting this amount in 8 pieces is a real generous serving, and we need comfort food today :-)
  • roderick_stacey
    roderick_stacey Posts: 20 Member
    bump!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • HealthyChanges2010
    HealthyChanges2010 Posts: 5,831 Member
    Thanks for spelling out my Dinner tonight. I am going to make half your recipe and the other half I will add Broccoli for future use.
    Cutting this amount in 8 pieces is a real generous serving, and we need comfort food today :-)
    Enjoy:flowerforyou:
  • melodyg
    melodyg Posts: 1,423 Member
    This looks great! Saving to make one day next week... :)
  • mom2mykiddos
    mom2mykiddos Posts: 50 Member
    This looks so good. Thanks! :flowerforyou:
  • malmustafa79
    malmustafa79 Posts: 107 Member
    bump
  • lilay
    lilay Posts: 122
    bump
  • jtotheno
    jtotheno Posts: 123 Member
    bump
This discussion has been closed.