Divine Macaroni and Cheese

Runner-up

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons  butter or margarine
• 2  garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 1/2  cups  milk
• 1  cup  shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1  (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1  (8-ounce) package mascarpone cheese
• 4  ounces  Gorgonzola cheese
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 1  teaspoon  ground white pepper
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground nutmeg
• 1  (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained (optional)
• 16  ounces  penne, cooked
• 1  cup  soft breadcrumbs

Preparation

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat; add garlic, and sauté until tender. Add milk, and cook until thoroughly heated. Gradually stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and next 6 ingredients until smooth. Stir in spinach, if desired. Add pasta, tossing to coat; spoon into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.

Bake at 400° for 7 minutes. Remove from oven; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs. Reduce oven temperature to 350°.

Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.