Double-Cheese Mac and Cheese

Sorry for missing last week, we were out of town and the hotel charged $30.00 a night for internet use. Needless to say we chose not to waste that money. I know we decided to assign a different topic for each month, but seeing as how we haven’t made any real decisions yet, here’s something I made last week. I got it off another blog I read, and she got it from Better Homes and Gardens, so here you go!

DOUBLE-CHEESE MAC & CHEESE
PREP: 25 minutes BAKE: 25 minutes OVEN: 350°F


You'll need:

• 12 ounces dried penne, ziti, or rigatoni pasta
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups shredded Port du Salut or Monterey Jack Cheese (8 ounces) (I had no idea what the first cheese was, and don't care much for the second cheese, so I used Sharp!)
• 1 cup shredded American Cheese (4 ounces) (I used Mild Cheddar)
• 2 tablespoons snipped fresh organo or 1 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
• 1/2 cup soft light rye or whole wheat bread crumbs
• Snipped fresh oregano (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cook the pasta according to package directions and drain.

2. While the pasta is boilin', in a large saucepan cook and stir garlic in hot butter over medium heat for about 30 seconds. Stir in flour; gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir (I used a whisk for this) until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat. Gradually add the 8 ounces of cheese (again, I used Sharp) and the 4 ounces of cheese (and again, I used Mild Cheddar), stirring until melted. Remove the mixture from heat, stir in the cooked pasta and the fresh or dried oregano.

3. Transfer the mixture to an ungreased 2-qt. casserole dish. Top with breadcrumbs and bake, uncovered, for about 25 minutes (or until it's all nice and bubbly and hot). Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. If desired, top with more oregano. Makes 6 servings.

Note: I added chicken to make it a little more substantial. I cut the chicken into small cubes, sautéed them with Italian dressing and then threw them in the casserole dish to bake with the macaroni. The Italian seasoning gave it a little more flavor and made it a thousand times better. I think I may try adding broccoli next time to get some veggies in.

Courtesy of http://www.thechloeconspiracy.com/