Makeover Broccoli Mac and Cheese

So the other night I ended up to talking to VW, who I am a total fan girl of. Coincidentally, I also had dog-eared this recipe in my cookbook, but hadn't gotten around to ask D to make it.

I've been trying to use up ingredients in the fridge and we had Ricotta from when he made Macaroni with Sausage and Ricotta. I asked him if he could replace cottage cheese with ricotta, he said yes, so the recipe made the weekly list.  If you use LF Cottage Cheese, it will lower the points.

It was very creamy.  We both agreed it needed more salt.  I don't know how much D added, so I can't tell you how much to increase it too, but I think it's safe to say he put in 1/2 tsp.

We didn't have a side.

 Makeover Broccoli Mac and Cheese

Photo by ALB

Adapted from Virginia Willis Lighten Up, Y’all: Classic Southern Recipes Made Healthy and Wholesome

Who doesn’t love a big, bubbling tray of gooey mac and cheese? Here, this most familiar of comfort foods is revamped by JBF Award winner Virginia Willis with chopped broccoli for an extra serving of vegetables.

Ingredients
1 lb of chicken breast, sauteed
1 3/4 Cupreduced-fat extra-sharp cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 3/4 cups 2 percent milk, divided
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces elbow macaroni
12 ounces broccoli florets and stems

Method
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Coat an 8-inch-square (2-quart) baking dish with cooking spray. Add the cheddar cheese in a large bowl. Mix ¼ cup of the cheese  with the bread crumbs and paprika in a small bowl. Set aside.

To make the cheese sauce, heat 1 ½ cups of the milk in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until simmering. Whisk the remaining ¼ cup milk and the flour in a small bowl until smooth; add to the hot milk and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce simmers and thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the remaining 1 ½ cups of the cheese along with the ricotta cheese until melted. Stir in the dry mustard and nutmeg and add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook the pasta according to package instructions. In the last 3 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli. Drain well and add the chicken, pasta and broccoli to the cheese sauce; mix well. Spread the pasta mixture in the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the bread crumb mixture. Bake until bubbly and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool slightly. Serve warm.

Yield: 6 servings

11 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 6 servings)