More Please – 40 Days of Thankfulness

About me:

My favorite band – Squeeze (usually)

My favorite flavor – Lemon (mostly)

My favorite cocktail – Dirty Dry Vodka Martini with a lemon twist (frequently)

My favorite color – Green (favorably)

My favorite room in the house – Kitchen (understandably)

My favorite hobby – Cooking (when I am not knitting, walking, reading, spending time with friends …)

I am so happy when I am in the kitchen cooking up a storm whether it’s a regular dinner for the two of us or a dinner party for friends or whipping something up to share with others at a pot luck. It is so gratifying and wondrous to cook.

And on that note … I am making a new recipe today to share with my church friends tomorrow. (really up here all I have is church friends, but I would serve this to my other friends as well)

It’s another Cooking Light adaptation:

Macaroni with Six Cheeses

Tomorrow is when we decorate the church for Advent and Christmas and we all share a meal as a Thanksgiving offering. I have been assured there will be chicken and noodles, sloppy joes, plenty of Jello salads, pies, cakes and a bunch of casseroles. My contribution will be the mac and cheese that hopefully everyone will enjoy. I tested it out last week on Paul and he loved it.

I hope you enjoy it too. It is my Thanksgiving offering to you.

Macaroni and Six Cheeses

Makes 6 servings

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2-2/3 cups low-fat milk

1/3 cup each: extra sharp cheddar, Monterey jack, Asiago and Swiss

¼ cup parmesan

3oz reduced-fat Velveeta

6 cups cooked macaroni (about 3 cups uncooked)

Salt and Pepper to taste

½ cup seasoned bread crumbs

1.     Preheat oven to 375°

2.     Cook macaroni if uncooked.

3.     In a large saucepan, whisk together flour and milk. Cook over medium heat until thick (about 8 minutes) stirring constantly.

4.     Remove milk mixture from heat and let set for 4 minutes. Add cheeses and stir to melt. Season with salt and pepper.

5.     Add cooked macaroni to cheese mixture and combine making sure all the cheese has melted. Re-season if necessary with salt and pepper.

6.     Spoon into an oven-safe casserole dish and top with bread crumbs.

7.     Cook for 30 minutes or until bubbly and top is golden brown.

It’s that simple and so delicious. If making ahead of time like I am, let it cool after cooking in the oven and cover with foil. To reheat just place in oven at 350 covered for 30 minutes or so, remove foil and let the top crisp up or you can add the bread crumbs at the last minute and broil (watch closely).