3 cups uncooked whole wheat penne pasta
2 cloves garlic (peeled and smashed)
3 cups fresh broccoli cut in small florets
3 tablespoons kosher salt
2/3 cup red, orange and yellow bell peppers (small dice)
2 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup flour PLUS"PLUS" means this ingredient in addition to the one on the next line, often with divided uses
1 tablespoon flour
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
salt and pepper, to taste
5 ounces provolone cheese, shredded
5 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons melted butter
3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 2.5 quart casserole dish with vegetable spray.
In a large pasta pot bring water and the garlic to boil. Add kosher salt. Add whole wheat pasta, cover partially with lid and set timer for 7 minutes. After 7 minutes add broccoli florets and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Drain, remove garlic and return to pot and stir in the chopped bell peppers.
In large sauce pan over medium heat add milk, flour and butter. Whisk until smooth and thickened. Add nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and stir in shredded cheese. It will be very thick but verrrrry cheesy. Pour cheese sauce over pasta and veggies and stir to coat well.
Pour mixture into greased casserole dish. Put Italian bread crumbs in small container and add melted butter. Mix with fingers until it resembles wet sand. Sprinkle liberally over top and place on middle rack of oven. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.
You can garnish with chopped parsley or cilantro, but I like chopped basil.
I used to get my kids to eat broccoli by calling them trees and dousing them with cheese sauce. It seems like adding cheese to anything makes it more pleasing to kids. So when I was thinking of a "new" kind of mac and cheese I thought you still have to have a lot of cheese but go with the healthier whole wheat pasta and the "trees". I wasn't disappointed. It turned out so well that my husband didn't even realize he wasn't getting meat in his dinner tonight. Hope you enjoy.
UltimateCook
Pumpkins aren't just for pies or Halloween decorations. These large, orange gourds - while naturally sweet - also work well in savory dishes. They pair well with poultry and pork (and especially bacon) and their creamy-when-cooked texture blends easily into soups.
Not to be confused with evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk is very sweet (and very sticky) and used primarily in desserts.
Ah, the unassuming envelope of onion soup mix. It's more than just for onion soup (or dip). It adds tremendous flavor (and convenience) in all these recipes.
reviews & comments