This morning as I sit and write this post, my mind is wandering to the growing list of things I should be doing and the shrinking list of the things I want to do. I’m okay with this. Laundry can wait, the house cleaning can wait a bit longer, and redundant chore of decluttering definitely is going to wait. Instead, I am concentrating on enjoying this last week of “brain rest” with finishing up my office/craft room makeover, binge-watching TV shows on Netflix, and some much overdue reading. Okay, I may do the laundry but no other work.
Even meals are going to be simpler this week, like this Macaroni and Cheese Vegetable Casserole. It’s full of cheesy-goodness and vegetables. I’ve adapted the original recipe a bit to suit what I had on hand and our tastes and we loved it. This is perfect for Meatless Mondays or when you want a main dish that isn’t going to take long to prepare. I even managed to make this in one pot – less dishes to wash – bonus!
Ingredients
- 1 lb elbow macaroni
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp flour
- 1 small onion diced finely
- 2 cloves garlic minced finely
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup half and half
- dash or two of hot sauce
- 2 cups broccoli florets fresh and uncooked
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 pint grape tomatoes
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and keep warm. While pasta is cooking, cut the grape tomatoes in half, if desired.
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; add onion and garlic, cook till soft (a couple of minutes).
- Whisk in flour, and cook 1 minute.
- Gradually whisk in milk and half and half and cook, stirring constantly, for about 3 to 5 minutes or until thickened. Mix in the dash or two of hot sauce.
- Stir in both cheeses, salt and pepper and stir until cheeses have melted and mixture is smooth.
- Add the broccili, pasta, and tomatoes and gently stir into the cheese mixture.
- Pour mixture into prepared 13 x 9 inch baking dish and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until the broccoli is cooked through and the top is golden brown.
- Recipe adapted from It's a Lovely Life!
Enjoy!
This Macaroni and cheese veggie casserole sounds delicious. Will be pinning this. Thank you for sharing!