DELICIOUS Mac N Cheese from Foodie Contributor Mia!

Mia's BACK today with an INCREDIBLE looking mac and cheese!  Hold your hand up if you enjoy a fabulous macn'cheese???  I know I do!  Of course, I gain a pound and a half every time I LOOK at something this divine, but OH how great it is to look, yes??  ...and taste?  Even better!  Bring it on Mia!


I promise I will start posting healthy vegetable-filled delights soon, but for now September is the month for comfort eating. I've made this recipe healthier in terms of using low-fat cheese and skimmed milk, but sometimes there is no replacement for such incredibly good food! Macaroni cheese is one of my favourite recipes, and always has the power to cheer me up; nothing says happiness like a bowl of gooey, cheesy, pasta! I am drooling as I write this, so I hope you're all sharing my enthusiasm for this delectable concoction.

Ingredients:

- Small crusty bread roll, cut into small chunks

- 2 tbsp butter

- 1 tbsp vegetable oil

- 350g macaroni

- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

- 3 tbsp plain flour

- 500ml skimmed milk

- 250g mature low-fat cheddar, grated

- 50g parmesan, finely grated

Method:

Heat up your oven to 200c/ 180c fan/ gas 6.

Spread the bread chunks over a baking sheet, and drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper.
Pop them in the oven and bake for 6 minutes until crispy, then set aside.

Add the macaroni to a pan of boiling water, and cook for 2 minutes less than stated on the pack.
This way they will finish cooking in the oven and won't end up all gloopy.

While that's cooking, melt the butter in a pan and add the garlic. 

Cook for 1 minute, then add the plain flour. Cook for a further minute to get rid of the floury taste, and pour in the milk. 

Whisk this on the heat until it thickens. It might take a while until the sauce gets close to reaching boiling point.

Remove from the heat, and add the cheddar and most of the parmesan (leave enough to top the mix with later), and mix into the sauce.

Pour this into the cooked and drained macaroni, and mix together.

Tip the mixture into a large oven dish and level out. Arrange the croutons on top, and sprinkle on the remaining parmesan.

Cook for 20 minutes, or alternatively freeze at this point, and then cook for the same time after defrosting.

Thanks for reading, and happy eating!

Mia :-)

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