Creamy Stove-Top Macaroni and Cheese

Mustard, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce add some zip to a comfy favorite. Try this with any short pasta, such as fusilli, farfalle, or cavatappi, or experiment with different cheeses.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

Ingredients

• 4  cups  uncooked medium elbow macaroni
• 3  tablespoons  all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  black pepper
• 2 1/4  cups  fat-free milk
• 1/4  cup  (2 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
• 2  teaspoons  Dijon mustard
• 2  teaspoons  Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2  teaspoon  bottled minced garlic
• 1 1/4  cups  (5 ounces) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Preparation

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and set aside.

While pasta cooks, place flour, salt, and pepper in a large saucepan. Add milk, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Drop cream cheese by teaspoonfuls into milk mixture; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer 2 minutes or until thick and cream cheese melts, stirring occasionally. Stir in mustard, Worcestershire, and garlic; simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add cheddar cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Combine pasta and cheese sauce in a large bowl; toss well.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

252 (29% from fat)

Fat:

8.2g (sat 5.1g,mono 0.1g,poly 0.3g)

Protein:

14.5g

Carbohydrate:

30.9g

Fiber:

1.1g

Cholesterol:

27mg

Iron:

1.4mg

Sodium:

536mg

Calcium:

312mg