GUILTLESS MAC AND CHEESE

Ingredients
8 oz elbow macaroni, dry
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup fat-free milk
4 oz fat-free shredded cheddar cheese
2 tsp dried mustard
salt and pepper
1 ½ cups fat-free cottage cheese small curd
3 tbsp fat-free dry bread crumbs
3 tbsp fat-free grated parmesan or romano cheese
non-fat cooking spray

Method
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Spray a 2 quart baking dish with nonstick spray or nonstick pan and set aside.
3. In a large pot, cook macaroni according to directions on package. Drain but do not rinse; set aside.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together flour and 2 tablespoons of milk.
5. In large saucepan, heat remaining milk until steaming.
6. Gradually whisk in a little hot milk into bowl with milk flour mixture, just enough to warm mixture up. This will help when whisking flour mixture into pan with hot milk. Pour mix into pan with hot milk and stir over medium heat about 1 minute, or until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Remove from heat.
7. Stir in fat-free cheddar cheese, mustard, salt and black pepper; set aside.
8. In a food processor or blender, puree fat-free cottage cheese until very smooth.
9. Stir into cheese sauce. Stir in the macaroni. Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish.
10. In a small bowl, stir together breadcrumbs and parmesan/romano cheese.
11. Sprinkle over top of macaroni and cheese.
12. Bake 40-45 minutes or until browned and bubbly.

Yield: 6 servings – ¼ cup or 2 oz each

Nutritional Information:
Calories…………………..260
Fat…………………..........1 g
Protein……………………20 g