Real Mac N' Cheese

I love homemade mac n' cheese. I believe there is a place in this world for the boxed stuff but it really doesn't compare to the homemade version. One problem with it though is all of those calories. I found this lighter recipe in our newspaper which turned out to be every bit as good as the real thing. The key to keeping flavor and texture, the author said, was knowing WHERE to cut the fat out. So go on, enjoy some good old comfort food tonight!

Mac N' Cheese on the Down Low

1 3/4 C dry elbow macaroni
1 Tb. flour
1 C fat free milk (divided)
1 C grated extra sharp cheddar cheese (you need this for flavor)
2 tsp. dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. chili powder
1 1/2 C low fat cottage cheese
3 Tb. bread crumbs
1 tsp. olive oil
3 Tb. Parmesan cheese

Heat the oven to 375. Coat an 11x7 or 8x8 pan with cooking spray. Cook the macaroni in salted water according to the package. Drain and rinse in cold water. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour and 2 TB. of the milk. In a saucepan, heat the remaining milk just unitil steaming. Gradually whisk a few tablespoons of the hot milk into the milk-flour mixture, then whisk this mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened (about 1 minute). Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the cheddar cheese, mustard, salt, black pepper, chili powder, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a food processor, puree the cottage cheese until very smooth. Stir into the sauce. Stir in the cooked macaroni and spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

In a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs with the olive oil until well blended. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and sprinkle over the macaroni. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until browned on top and bubbling.

Note: I used less black pepper because it seemed like a lot. But the chili powder is great and it doesn't add heat, just flavor. Also, if you have never used whole nutmeg, use this recipe as an excuse to get some and a micro-plane and give it a try. There is nothing like freshly grated nutmeg in recipes!!!