#85 Carroty Mac and Cheese

Everyone loves mac and cheese but you really haven't lived until you have have tasted it homeade and fresh from the oven. I had been looking for a recipe for oven baked mac and cheese for a while. I was thinking about trying "Four-Star Macaroni and Cheese Bake" from Kraft Canada (http://www.kraftcanada.com/en/recipes/four-star-macaroni-cheese-bake-85593.aspx) but I ended up settling for this recipe from Oprah Magazine (March 2012 adapted from a recipe by Melissa Clark). The recipe can be viewed online at: http://www.oprah.com/food/Simple-Recipes-You-Can-Memorize-Go-To-Recipes/14).

I liked that this recipe called for whole wheat pasta. I also liked the idea of the recipe being infused with carrots…any sneaky way to incorporate vegetables into a meal was suddenly appealing to this new mom!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 2 cups whole wheat macaroni
• 2.5 cups carrot, coarsely grated
• 4 tbsp butter
• ¾ cup sour cream
• ¼ cup whole milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp salt
• ¾ tsp mustard powder
• 4 grinds black pepper
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400° and grease an 8-inch square baking pan.

2. Grate 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese (about 12 ounces).

3. Cook 2 cups whole wheat macaroni in salted boiling water; a few minutes before pasta is finished, add 2½ cups coarsely grated carrot. Drain, then stir in 2½ cups Cheddar and 4 Tbsp. butter.

4. Whisk together ¾ cup sour cream, ¼ cup whole milk, 2 eggs, 1 tsp. kosher salt, ¾ tsp. mustard powder, and a few grinds of black pepper. Fold into pasta and pour mixture into prepared pan.

5. Sprinkle ½ cup remaining Cheddar and ¼ cup Parmesan on top.

6. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

(Serves --)

I would possibly consider experimenting with some different cheeses in this recipe. I wouldn't eliminate all the sharp cheddar but instead of using 3 cups I might use 2 cups and a cup of something else. Just a thought!