Mac and Cheese

Basic mac & cheese modified to be SBD-friendly. I just used reduced-fat cheddar today, but you can mix in any other type of cheese to your liking.  It's delicious with gruyere, but I've yet to find a reduced-fat gruyere that would keep this on the SBD straight and narrow.

Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons Smart Balance
• 4 tablespoons whole wheat flour
• 2 cups skim milk
• Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt to taste
• 2 cups reduced-fat cheddar, shredded
• 1 cup cubed ham (tonight I used leftover Honeybaked from Thanksgiving)
• 1 pound whole wheat elbow macaroni, cooked to al dente per box instructions
• 3 tablespoons grated parmesan
• 3 tablespoons whole wheat panko bread crumbs

Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a large skillet, melt Smart Balance over medium-high heat.  Add the flour and whisk into a paste.  Continue whisking for a couple of minutes so the flour cooks and loses its raw taste
• Add milk and seasoned salt and continue whisking until smooth.  Bring to a boil to thicken.
• Remove from heat.  Add cheese and continue whisking until the cheese is completely melted.
• Stir in ham and macaroni.  Pour into a baking dish.
• In a small bowl, mix the parmesan and bread crumbs.  Sprinkle on top of mac and cheese.
• Bake for 20 minutes.