Cooking Light: Mac and Cheeseburger

Mac and Cheese is a dish that kids and grownups love. This take on the classic mac and cheese from our friends at Cooking Light adds ground beef and fire roasted tomatoes to the mix for a heartier take on this comforting dish. What’s even better is you can grate or finely dice some vegetables into the mac and cheese for picky eaters!

Ingredients:

8 ounces uncooked whole-grain rotini

1/2 pound extra-lean ground sirloin

1/4 cup prechopped yellow onion

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1 (14.5-oz.) can unsalted fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained

1 cup 1% low-fat milk

1 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

3 ounces preshredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese (about 3/4 cup)

3 tablespoons 1/3-less-fat cream cheese

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta according to directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium. Add beef, onion, Worcestershire, and mustard; cook, stirring often, until meat is done, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; stir in tomatoes.

3. Whisk together milk and flour. Pour mixture into skillet; bring to a boil over high. Add cheeses; stir until cheeses melt. Remove from heat. Stir in pasta and meat mixture. Top with parsley, salt, and pepper.

Tips & Trick:

Make sure to drain the tomatoes so the sauce doesn’t get too thin.
If you don’t have dry mustard (used here for added depth), stir in a teaspoon of Dijon mustard.
Serve with a side of green beans or broccoli tossed with browned butter, or with a salad the family enjoys (a crunchy romaine Caesar salad would be great).