Whole Wheat Spinach Mac N Cheese With Broiled Tomatoes Food

WHOLE-WHEAT ROTINI MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large pot of boiling salted water, add rotini and ook for 6 to 8 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.
• In a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and add the onions. Add the flour and pepper and mix until mixture is pasty and forms a roux. Whisk milk into pan incorporating the roux. Bring to a simmer over low heat and allow to thicken; about 5 minutes. Once thickened, whisk in the cheeses. Add the pasta and mix until the pasta is well coated. Fold in spinach, sun-dried tomato oil, and sun-dried tomatoes.
• In a small saucepan, melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Once melted, turn heat off and add bread crumbs and paprika. Mix well to combine.
• Pour rotini into a casserole dish large enough to hold the pasta. Sprinkle the top with bread crumbs and place in oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until brown and bubbling.

WHOLE-WHEAT BEEF, MUSHROOM AND SPINACH CALZONE

Steps:

• Set a pizza stone or baking sheet on an oven rack in the bottom-third position and preheat to 425 degrees F.
• Heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Break the beef into large chunks with a wooden spoon. When the beef is browned all over, about 2 minutes, add the mushrooms, 2/3 of the garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook for 3 minutes, then fold in the spinach to wilt, about 1 minute. This mixture should be relatively dry. Remove to a large bowl to cool completely.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil and garlic and another pinch of crushed red pepper to the skillet. Stir for a minute to lightly brown the garlic, then add the tomatoes and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Simmer until thick, about 6 minutes. Reheat this sauce when ready to serve with the calzones.
• Divide the pizza dough into 4 balls. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. On a well-floured surface, roll out each rested ball into a 6- or 7-inch circle 1/8 inch thick. On the bottom half of each circle, mound a quarter of the cooled beef mixture, top with 3 tablespoons of the mozzarella, fold over the top half of the dough to form a semicircle and pinch the edges to seal. Carefully transfer the calzones with a spatula to the prepared baking sheet. Lightly brush with the beaten egg. Cut 2 small slits on top of each to vent steam.
• Bake the calzones in the oven on the hot pizza stone or baking sheet until golden brown, about 22 minutes. Serve with the heated tomato sauce on the side.
• Stir together the warm water, honey and yeast in a measuring cup or small bowl. Let sit until a small layer of foam develops at the top, 3 to 5 minutes. (If this doesn't happen, discard and try again with new yeast.)
• Whisk the flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a medium bowl. Add the foamy yeast mixture and olive oil and mix together with a stiff rubber spatula. Form the dough into a uniform ball in the center of the bowl. Be sure to scrape and use any dough stuck to the sides. The dough will be very sticky at this stage. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and keep in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Lightly dust a baking sheet with flour. Sprinkle a generous amount of flour on a clean, dry work surface. Scrape the dough onto the floured surface and knead for a couple of minutes, working in just enough flour to make the dough less sticky but still moist to the touch. Form the dough into 1, 2 or 4 balls, for large, medium and small pizzas. Place the dough ball(s) on the prepared baking sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a dish towel and let rest for 30 minutes. The dough can then be shaped and cooked as desired or wrapped well and frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw frozen dough at room temperature, shape and cook as desired.

SPINACH MAC 'N' CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook the pasta following pack instructions. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium non-stick pan. Add the leeks, stir well, then cover and cook for about 6 mins or until softened.
• Put the flour and mustard powder in a small bowl and gradually whisk in the milk. Pour into the pan with the leeks and stir with a wooden spoon until thickened. Continue stirring over a low heat while the pasta cooks. It will seem thick but will be diluted later.
• Drain the pasta, reserving the cooking water, then stir the paste into the sauce. Add the spinach and 1-11/2 ladlefuls of the water to make a spoonable sauce, then stir over the heat until the spinach has wilted. Stir in most of the cheese and taste for seasoning.
• Heat the grill. Tip the pasta mixture into a casserole dish, arrange the tomatoes over the top and scatter over the remaining cheese. Grill for 5-10 mins or until bubbling and golden.

OH-SO-GOOD MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine macaroni, 1-1/2 cups of the cheddar cheese, the spinach, tomatoes and Parmesan cheese in large bowl; set aside. Heat oil in medium saucepan on low heat 1 min. Add onions; cook 2 to 3 min. or until crisp-tender. Add flour; mix well. Cook 2 min., stirring constantly. Gradually add milk, stirring until well blended after each addition. Increase heat to medium. Bring to boil; cook 2 to 3 min. or until thickened, stirring constantly. Add to macaroni mixture; toss to coat.
• Spoon into 1-1/2-qt.-casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray; sprinkle with remaining Cheddar cheese.
• Bake 20 min. or until heated through.