Mac ‘n’ Cheese Dinner

  Dinner

Don’t settle for ordinary mac & cheese! This one is my kids’ favorite meal, so I always make a huge pot. It’s an easy recipe to cut down or double (or triple!). It can also be made into a low-fat recipe if you use nonfat milk, reduced-fat cheeses and lean ham.

Mac ‘n’ Cheese Dinner

Average Rating: 5

TOTAL TIME: Prep/Total Time: 25 min.
YIELD: 6 servings.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
  • 4 medium carrots, thinly sliced
  • 1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas
  • 1 cup cubed fully cooked ham
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

  • 1. Cook macaroni in boiling water for 3 minutes. Add carrots and peas; return to a boil. Cook until macaroni is tender, 5-6 minutes longer. Drain; add ham.
  • 2. In a 1-qt. microwave-safe dish, combine the milk and cream cheese. Cover and microwave at 50% power for 3 minutes; stir. Cook until cream cheese is melted, 2-3 minutes longer. Stir in mozzarella, Parmesan, basil, salt and pepper. Pour over pasta and toss to coat.

Nutrition Facts

1-1/2 cups: 284 calories, 10g fat (5g saturated fat), 40mg cholesterol, 609mg sodium, 32g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 4g fiber), 18g protein.

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