Lighter Macaroni And Cheese Food

LIGHTER MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread tomatoes in a single layer on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle each sheet with 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoon thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until tomatoes have softened, about 20 minutes. (Leave oven on.)
• Process bread in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Melt 1 tablespoon butter with remaining tablespoon oil in amedium skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs, and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta. Cook pasta until almost al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain, and run under cold water to stop cooking. Transfer to a large bowl; set aside.
• Whisk 1/2 cup stock into the flour in a medium bowl; set aside. Melt remaining tablespoon butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in nutmeg, cayenne, remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add milk and remaining 1 1/2 cups stock. Whisk in flour mixture. Bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Reduce to a simmer. Cook 8 minutes, whisking frequently. Add cheeses; cook, stirring, until melted. Pour over macaroni, stirring to combine.
• Put eight 4 1/2-by-1 1/4-inch ramekins on a baking sheet. Put 2 tomato slices in bottom of each ramekin. Divide macaroni mixture evenly among ramekins. Top each with a tomato slice. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and thyme sprigs. Bake until bubbling and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

LIGHTENED-UP MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Coat an 8x8-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook whole wheat macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes.
• Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
• Stir 1 tablespoon evaporated milk and tapioca together in a saucepan. Whisk in remaining milk. Stir in Cheddar cheese, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and stir until the sauce thickens a bit and cheese is completely melted. Drain pasta and stir into the sauce. Spoon into the prepared baking dish.
• Cook under the broiler until top browns, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

FAMILY-FAVORITE MACARONI AND CHEESE (LIGHTER RECIPE)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Cook macaroni as directed on package.
• While macaroni is cooking, melt margarine in 3-quart saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in cheese. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted.
• Drain macaroni. Gently stir macaroni into cheese sauce. Pour into ungreased 2-quart casserole. Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly.

LIGHTER MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F Spread tomatoes in a single layer on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle each sheet with 1 Tbsp oil; sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoons thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until tomatoes have softened, about 20 minutes. (Leave oven on).
• Process bread in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Melt 1 tablespoons butter with remaining tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs, and toss to coat, Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 Tablespoon salt and the pasta. Cook pasta until almost al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to stop cooking. Transfer to a large bowl; set aside.
• Whisk 1/2 cup stock into the flour in a medium bowl; set aside. Melt remaining tablespoon butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in nutmeg, cayenne, remaining 1/2 tsp, thyme, and 1 teaspoons salt. Add milk and remaining 1 1/2 cups stock. Whisk in flour mixture. Bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Reduce to a simmer. Cook 8 minutes, whisking frequently. Add cheeses; cool, stirring until melted. Pour over macaaroni, stirring to combine.
• Put eight 4 1/2 x 1 1/4 inch ramekins on a baking sheet, Put 2 tomato slices in bottom of each ramekin, Divide macaroni mixture evenly among ramekins. Top each with a tomato slice. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and thyme sprigs. Bake until bubbling and golden brown, about 30 minutes.

LIGHTENED-UP MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Reserve 3/4 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta. Add the butter to the empty pot and melt over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add the flour and mustard powder and cook, stirring, until the flour begins to toast, about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and the reserved cooking water; cook, whisking, until thick, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Whisk in the sour cream, mozzarella, Swiss cheese and 1 tablespoon parmesan; continue whisking until melted, about 1 minute. Stir in the pasta, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; transfer to a 2-quart flameproof baking dish. Preheat the broiler. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons parmesan, the herbs, and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the pasta. Broil until golden and bubbly, about 2 minutes.

LIGHTER MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil with about 2 teaspoons of salt.
• Add macaroni and cook until al dente, about 5 minutes.
• Drain and set aside.
• In same pot, add evaporated milk, salt, mustard, garlic, and 1/2 cup milk.
• Bring to a boil and then simmer about 2 minutes.
• Combine 1/4 cup milk and cornstarch.
• Add to saucepan.
• Simmer about 5 minutes or until thickened.
• Remove from heat, add cheese, and stir until cheese is melted.
• Add macaroni and let sit for about 5 minutes until thickened.

LIGHT MACARONI AND CHEESE WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400F.
• Spray 8" square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• In small bowl, whisk 1/4 cup of the milk and flour until smooth.
• In heavy medium saucepan, heat remaining 1 1/2 cups milk over medium heat until steaming.
• Add flour mixture; cook 2-3 minutes or until sauce boils and thickens, whisking constantly.
• Remove from heat; stir in cheddar cheese until melted.
• Stir in cottage cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• Cook spinach according to package directions; drain.
• Rinse under cold running water; squeeze out excess moisture.
• Cook macaroni in large pot of boiling lightly salted water 4-5 minutes or until not quite tender, stirring often.
• (Macaroni will continue to cook while baking.) Drain; rinse with cold water.
• Drain again.
• In large bowl, stir together cheese sauce and macaroni.
• Spread half of the macaroni mixture in baking dish; spoon spinach over top.
• Spread remaining macaroni mixture over spinach layer; sprinkle with wheat germ.
• (Dish can be made to this point and refrigerated for 2 days or frozen for 2 months. Thaw in refrigerator before baking.) Bake 35-45 minutes or until bubbly and golden.
• TIP*If you can't find wheat germ, substitute an equal amount of Parmesan cheese, cracker crumbs or bread crumbs.
• VARIATION: To make Southwestern Macaroni and Cheese with Peppers, substitute 1 cup grated pepper Jack cheese for 1 cup of the cheddar cheese.
• Omit the nutmeg.
• Add 1 (4 1/2-oz.) can chopped mild green chiles, 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro and dash cayenne pepper to cheese sauce.
• Omit spinach.
• Instead, cook 2 cups thawed frozen pepper stir-fry vegetables in 1 teaspoon olive oil 3 to 4 minutes or until tender.
• Replace spinach with pepper mixture.

FAMILY-FAVORITE MACARONI AND CHEESE (LIGHTER RECIPE)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Cook macaroni as directed on package.
• While macaroni is cooking, melt margarine in 3-quart saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in cheese. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted.
• Drain macaroni. Gently stir macaroni into cheese sauce. Pour into ungreased 2-quart casserole. Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly.

CREAMY, LIGHT MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°.
• Combine squash, broth, milk, and garlic in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Place the hot squash mixture in a blender. Add salt, pepper, and Greek yogurt. Remove the center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Place blended squash mixture in a bowl; stir in Gruyère, pecorino Romano, and 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stir until combined.
• Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well. Add pasta to squash mixture, and stir until combined. Spread mixture evenly into a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray.
• Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add panko, and cook for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Sprinkle evenly over the hot pasta mixture. Lightly coat topping with cooking spray.
• Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately.