Beef, Cheese & Noodle Bake
Why I Love This Recipe
I'm a vegetarian and make this with fake ground beef and I substitute whole wheat macaroni for extra healthy points.
Found it in Cooking Light Magazine. Love it.
Ingredients You'll Need
1 (8-ounce) package small elbow macaroni
Cooking spray
1 cup pre-chopped onion
1 cup pre-shredded carrot
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1 pound lean ground sirloin
1 cup tomato sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fat-free milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) 2% reduced-fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese (such as Cracker Barrel), divided
Directions
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain. Lightly coat pasta with cooking spray.
Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and carrot, and saute 4 minutes. Add garlic; saute 1 minute.
Add ground beef; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Add tomato sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes or until most of liquid evaporates.
Add pasta to beef mixture in pan, stirring to combine. Spoon pasta mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
Place milk, flour, nutmeg, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan; stir with a whisk until blended.
Cook over medium heat 2 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly with a whisk.
Add 1 cup cheese, stirring until smooth. Pour cheese mixture over pasta mixture; stir. Top evenly with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.