Three-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese

By VegasBartender

Try this rich and creamy three-cheese macaroni and cheese for the ultimate feel-good meal.

"If I go more than a day or two without pasta, watch out, because I get nasty," jokes one CookingLight.com user. Other users admit hankering for high-quality cheese. Keep a close eye on the flour while it cooks so it doesn't burn. For a weeknight supper, bake the macaroni in an 8-inch square baking dish for 35 minutes.

Jeanne Thiel Kelley, Cooking Light

SEPTEMBER 2008

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion (about 1 medium)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (about 8 ounces)
• Cooking spray
• 2/3 cup (about 2 1/2 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 2/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Details

Servings 6
Adapted from myrecipes.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion to pan; cook 8 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add flour and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in milk and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly with a whisk. Add Gorgonzola, 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, and salt; stir until cheeses melt. Discard bay leaf.

2. Preheat oven to 375°.

3. Cook pasta in boiling water 5 minutes or until almost tender, omitting salt and fat; drain well. Add pasta to cheese mixture, stirring well. Place about 1/2 cup pasta mixture into each of 6 (1-cup) ramekins coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella. Top evenly with remaining pasta mixture. Combine remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano and panko; sprinkle evenly over pasta mixture. Spray lightly with cooking spray; sprinkle with black pepper. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until heated.