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Macaroni and Four Cheeses

Cooking Light
Macaroni and Four Cheeses
Randy Mayor
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Worthy of a Special Occasion

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups)

Ingredients

  • 1  pound  uncooked medium elbow macaroni
  • 1  (1-ounce) slice white bread
  • 2 1/2  cups  1% low-fat milk
  • 2  bay leaves
  • 1/4  cup  all-purpose flour
  • 1  cup  (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat extra-sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) shredded Emmenthaler or Swiss cheese
  • 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
  • 3/4  teaspoon  salt
  • 1/4  teaspoon  black pepper
  • Cooking spray
  • 2  teaspoons  minced fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
  • 2  teaspoons  butter or stick margarine, melted

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.

Cook pasta in boiling water 5 minutes or until almost tender. Drain and rinse with cold water. Place pasta in a large bowl.

Place bread in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs form. Set aside.

Bring milk and bay leaves to a simmer in a small saucepan. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour in a small bowl; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until well-blended. Return milk mixture to pan. Cook over medium heat until thick, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat. Add cheeses, salt, and pepper; stirring until cheeses melt. Pour cheese sauce over pasta; stir well. Spoon mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine breadcrumbs, sage, and butter in a bowl; toss with a fork. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over pasta mixture.

Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Nutritional Information

Calories:
397 (26% from fat)
Fat:
11.3g (sat 6.6g,mono 3g,poly 0.7g)
Protein:
20.7g
Carbohydrate:
52g
Fiber:
1.6g
Cholesterol:
32mg
Iron:
2.7mg
Sodium:
624mg
Calcium:
425mg
Cooking Light, JANUARY 2000

Member Ratings and Reviews

5 stars
Jen
This recipe is fantastic! I've made it a few times now and ususally omit the gorgonzola and add more swiss or edam. I also chop up some thick pieces of ham and sautee them with onion to add to the mix. Always tastes great!06/21/09

5 stars
KatieBrown
This meal gets two starts, because it has potential. I wish I had listened to other readers who said that the gorgonzola overpowered the dish. I felt like I wasted expensive cheese on the dish because the gorgonzola was all I could taste. I like gorgonzola, but I don't love it. My boyfriend was really disappointed because he was so excited when I told him we were having mac n cheese for dinner. He had a few bites then went to Wendy's. The dish would be great if you substitute another cheese for the gorgonzola, maybe another creamy cheese thats not as strong. Unless you absolutely love gorgonzola and are craving that strong flavor, I'd try a different recipe, or substitute it out. Trust me! I'm super disappointed right now :( Any suggestions on how to neutralize the flavor of the leftovers?02/02/09