Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Macaroni And Three Cheese Lunch Muffins

 Here's a clever twist on plain old Mac n' Cheese!  My kids love these.  It's tough to improve on an old classic favorite, but how cute are these?!
 

Macaroni and Three Cheese Lunch Muffins

Serves 12
Here’s a must for mac ‘n’ cheese lovers, rich and tender with a bit of nutritious winter squash puree (canned or frozen is convenient). Kids can help make them by fitting the muffin cups with paper liners, measuring the cheese and sprinkling the tops of the muffins with Parmesan.

Ingredients: 
  • 8 ounces (2 cups) elbow macaroni
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup low-fat (1%) milk
  • 1 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
  • 3 ounces fresh goat cheese
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 cup acorn or butternut squash puree
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
Method: 
 

Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook macaroni according to package directions until just tender. Drain very well.
Meanwhile, melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Stir in Cheddar cheese, goat cheese, mustard and salt; lower heat to medium low and stir until cheese is melted. Remove from the heat and stir in squash puree. Stir in egg. Pour cheese mixture over macaroni and stir until coated.
Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners and spoon macaroni mixture into liners. Sprinkle tops with Parmesan and bake until lightly browned and crispy on top, about 25 minutes. Cool muffins in the pans for 10 minutes. Eat warm or room temperature, or remove from the pan, cool on a rack, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Nutritional Info: 

Per Serving:

  • 180 calories (80 from fat)
  • 8g total fat
  • 5g saturated fat
  • 35mg cholesterol
  • 250mg sodium
  • 17g carbohydrate (1g dietary fiber, 2g sugar)
  • 9g protein

~Bridget

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