Baked Mac & Cheese

I've done it again...

I've taken one of my favorite dishes of all time and made it healthier, but still absolutely delicious!

For this dish, I combined my Lobster Macaroni and Cheese with the Weight Watchers Mac and Cheese to create a scrumptious, lower calorie dish that makes eating better that much easier. The best part about this mac and cheese is that it tastes better the next day, but that always seems to be the case with mac and cheese!

Baked Mac & Cheese

{6 servings}



-8 ounces Penne Rigate

-1 Shallot, finely minced

-1 clove Garlic, finely minced
-2 tbsp Canola Oil
-2 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
-1/8 cup White Cooking Wine
-2 cups Skim (Fat-Free) Milk
-1/4 tsp Paprika
-1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper
-1 Bay Leaf

-2-1/3 cup Shredded Reduced-Fat Sharp Cheddar Cheese

-1/2 tsp Salt

-1/4 tsp Pepper

-1 tbsp dried Parsley

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare the penne pasta according to package instructions, drain and set aside.

In a dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat and add the minced shallots and garlic. Saute until softened. Add 2 tbsp flour and stir to toast the roux for 1-2 minutes. Add the 1/8 cup of white wine and let it reduce for 1-2 minutes. Pour in the 2 cups of skim milk and whisk the sauce continuously to remove the lumps. Add in the paprika, cayenne pepper and bay leaf.

Bring the sauce to a simmer and then reduce the heat to low. Allow the sauce to thicken for 5-10 minutes until the sauce coats the spoon. Remove the bay leaf.

Stir in 2 cups of the cheddar cheese slowly by the handfuls while continuously stirring and add in the salt and pepper. Add in the cooked penne pasta and stir well to combine. Correct seasoning with salt and pepper.

Pour the macaroni and cheese into a greased 8x8 baking dish and top with the remaining 1/3 cup cheddar cheese and parsley. Bake for 25 minutes until hot and bubbly. Then remove the baking dish from the oven and let the macaroni dish set for 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

*365 calories and 12.8 g fat per serving*
8 WW points