Mod Mac ‘n’ Cheese

I consider my friend Natalie to be an expert when it comes to mac ‘n’ cheese. She knows what it takes to pull together a creamy blend of pasta and cheese that makes your mouth water before it ever hits the table (and it doesn’t involve fluorescent orange powdered cheese). While she generally prefers the long-established elbow macaroni and cheddar, she recently described to me a twist on the traditional that she ordered at a restaurant and loved. So, I thought I’d attempt to recreate it based on her description. This dish could be full of fat and calories; but there are a couple of easy ways to reduce the saturated fat with low-fat milk and increase the nutritional value with veggies. All mac ‘n’ cheese dishes start with the same base, but feel free to fool around with different cheeses and veggies to reflect your preferences.

12 oz whole wheat rotini or large shell pasta
2 T flour
2 T butter
2 C milk (1% for a lower-fat version)
1 C shredded gruyere cheese
1 C shredded mild white cheddar cheese
1 t herbes de provence (use rosemary & thyme if you don't have this blend)
1 t salt
¼ t pepper
1 C frozen peas
¾ C chopped fresh tomato
3 T toasted slivered almonds

Bring water to a boil in a large sauce pan; add salt and pasta and cook until al dente. While pasta is cooking, add flour and butter to a large, heavy-bottom sauce pan and cook over medium-high heat. Stir constantly for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the mixture just begins to sizzle. Reduce heat to medium and slowly whisk in the milk. Whisk constantly 3 to 5 minutes, or until sauce thickens. Reduce heat to medium-low and gradually stir in the cheese until melted. Stir in herbs, salt, pepper and peas; allow peas to heat through. Add tomato and cooked pasta right from the water. Stir in the almonds and serve immediately.