Light Macaroni And Cheese With Spinach

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 3/4 cups low-fat milk, divided
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese (8 oz.)
• 1 cup low fat cottage cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed
• 8 ounces elbow macaroni
• 1/4 cup toasted wheat germ

Recipe

• 1 heat oven to 400f.
• 2 spray 8" square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• 3 in small bowl, whisk 1/4 cup of the milk and flour until smooth.
• 4 in heavy medium saucepan, heat remaining 1 1/2 cups milk over medium heat until steaming.
• 5 add flour mixture; cook 2-3 minutes or until sauce boils and thickens, whisking constantly.
• 6 remove from heat; stir in cheddar cheese until melted.
• 7 stir in cottage cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• 8 cook spinach according to package directions; drain.
• 9 rinse under cold running water; squeeze out excess moisture.
• 10 cook macaroni in large pot of boiling lightly salted water 4-5 minutes or until not quite tender, stirring often.
• 11 (macaroni will continue to cook while baking.) drain; rinse with cold water.
• 12 drain again.
• 13 in large bowl, stir together cheese sauce and macaroni.
• 14 spread half of the macaroni mixture in baking dish; spoon spinach over top.
• 15 spread remaining macaroni mixture over spinach layer; sprinkle with wheat germ.
• 16 (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.
• 17 tip*if you can't find wheat germ, substitute an equal amount of parmesan cheese, cracker crumbs or bread crumbs.
• 18 variation: to make southwestern macaroni and cheese with peppers, substitute 1 cup grated pepper jack cheese for 1 cup of the cheddar cheese.
• 19 omit the nutmeg.
• 20 add 1 (4 1/2-oz.) can chopped mild green chiles, 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro and dash cayenne pepper to cheese sauce.
• 21 omit spinach.
• 22 instead, cook 2 cups thawed frozen pepper stir-fry vegetables in 1 teaspoon olive oil 3 to 4 minutes or until tender.
• 23 replace spinach with pepper mixture.