What's your favorite...

I am on the hunt, and you can help! If you are working on loosing weight also, and have a favorite treat, recipe, or food I'd love to hear about it. Post it in the comment section, and I'll give it a try! Thanks so much for visiting!!

Friday, March 26, 2010

Baked Mac & Cheese

12 oz uncooked macaroni elbow type
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
12 oz fat-free evaporated milk
8 oz low-fat cheddar or Colby cheese, shredded
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp plain bread crumbs
2 Tbsp parmesan cheese grated

Preheat oven to 350.

Cook pasta according to package directions without added fat or salt; drain and transfer to a large bowl. While pasta is still hot, stir in sour cream, set aside.

Heat milk in small sauce pan over medium heat until tiny bubbles appear just around the edges (known as scalding). Reduce heat to low, add cheese and simmer until cheese melts, stirring constantly with a wire whisk, about 2 minutes; remove from heat and stir in mustard, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Add cheese mixture to pasta; mix well. Transfer to a 3 quart casserole dish.

Combine breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese, sprinkle over pasta.

Bake until top is golden, about 30 minutes. Yields 1 cup per serving, 5 points per serving (8 servings for the whole dish)



Changes I made:
I used whole wheat penne, it was tasty and way more fiber, and it didn't change the points.
I didn't have nutmeg, so I used some garlic powder instead.
If you can find the Kraft fat-free mozzarella and cheddar that is 1 point per oz, you can use 8 oz of each, making it cheesier and not raising your point level at all.

With changes: 5 points per serving (still 1 cup)

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1 comment:

Ana said...

We should try to make this together!! SO gourmet!

Polenta with Queso Fresco
and Roasted Tomatillo Sauce

Serves: 4
Prep time: 40 minutes
Cooling time: 2 hours
Way to grill: direct and indirect medium heat (350° to 450°F)
Grilling time: 18 to 22 minutes

Polenta
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
4 cups whole milk
1 cup polenta
1 teaspoon prepared chili powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil

Sauce
2 slices yellow onion, each about 1/2 inch thick
4 tomatillos, about 1/2 pound total, papery skins removed, rinsed
1 small poblano chile, 3 to 4 inches long
1/4 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

4 ounces queso fresco cheese, crumbled
1 ripe Hass avocado

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the milk, polenta, chili powder, and salt; whisk to blend. Whisk often until the mixture begins to boil. Turn the heat to very low and stir with a wooden spoon almost constantly to prevent splattering or burning. Cook and stir until the polenta is very thick and no longer gritty to bite, 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Brush the inside of an 8-inch square pan with 1 tablespoon of oil. Scrape the hot polenta into the pan and spread into a smooth, even layer. Let cool at room temperature for 2 hours. Prepare the grill for direct and indirect cooking over medium heat.

3. Brush the onion slices, tomatillos, and chile with oil. Brush the cooking grates clean. Grill the vegetables over direct medium heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, until the onions are lightly charred, the tomatillos soften and begin to collapse, and the chile is slightly softened and lightly charred, turning as needed. The onions will take 8 to 10 minutes, the tomatillos about 10 minutes, and the chile, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the grill as they are done. Place the chile in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let steam for 10 to 15 minutes.

4. When the chile is cool enough to handle, pull off and discard the skin, stem, and seeds. Put the vegetables, the cilantro, brown sugar, and salt in a food processor or blender. Whirl until evenly pureed. Add more brown sugar and salt to taste.

5. Invert the pan of polenta onto a cutting board, tapping to release the polenta if necessary. Cut the polenta into 4 to 8 pieces of whatever size and shape you like.

6. Set the pieces of polenta, smooth and oiled side down, over indirect medium heat. Carefully pile the crumbed cheese on top of each piece. Grill, with the lid closed, until the polenta is warm and the cheese begins to melt, 8 to 10 minutes, without turning. While the polenta is on the grill, peel and thinly slice the avocado.

7. Transfer the polenta to serving plates. Spoon the tomatillo sauce over the polenta and top with avocado slices.