Mac & Cheese with a bit of Green
Serves 6
Ingredients:
1 8 oz package any kind of macaroni
4 Tablespoons butter
1 cup milk
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 packages of organic frozen spinach or 2 large bunches of fresh spinach
1 8 oz package of grape tomatoes
2 8 oz packages of sharp cheddar cheese shredded
4 oz part skim mozzarella shreds
Red pepper flakes to taste
black pepper to taste
1/2 cup breadcrumbs buttered
9X 13 pan
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Butter your pan
Shred all your cheese while your macaroni cooks to package directions.
Cook and drain macaroni. Let it cool for now.
Mix flour, salt and both peppers with a whisk in a bowl.
Measure out milk and cream in one measuring cup and shredded cheese and put by your stovetop in that order.
Prepare breadcrumbs and place them next to the red pepper flakes.
By this time your macaroni should be cool. Put it in your buttered pan. Add spinach and tomatoes and mix well.
Now start your cheese sauce.
In a large saucepan melt butter. Use a whisk. Keep directing the butter to melt in a circle with the whisk beginning along the rims of the pan, then working the circles around the pan to the middle until completely melted.
Once all the butter is melted add tablespoons of flour mixture to the flour but keep whisking. You don't want the butter to clump. Keep following the same circle pattern as the butter. Once all is covered and smooth slowly add your milk and cream. Keep the whisking circles going.
Bring to a boil for about 2 minutes. Keep whisking.
Lower your heat and cook an additional 10 minutes but keep whisking.
Add your your shredded cheese a handful at a time and whisking for about 5 minutes. When cheese is completely melted pour over macaroni in buttered pan. Sprinkle with your breadcrumbs.
Bake 20 minutes but watch the breadcrumbs don't burn.
