Veggie Loaded Mac n' Cheese

Now, I love Mac n' Cheese...blue box brand to be exact.  Casey, however, loves Velveeta brand.  We agree to disagree about which is better (hint: truth is the blue box wins).  In the past, I make homemade velveeta mac n' cheese when we have it from scratch--but oh BOY is it an undertaking.  When I found this recipe on Pinterest, I was rejoicing. It was mac n' cheese but LOADED with fresh vegetables--cheesy, healthy, veggie goodness.  So, since the hubs has been crazy busy at work lately, which means late work days for him, I have had free time to bake and cook to my heart's content.

Thursday, I took on this guy and (asides from one cooking accident--more on this later) it was a success!  I chopped my vegetables, boiled some noodles, made the cheese sauce and tossed it all together.  Simple, right?  Yes.  Except I did all of this PLUS bake a cake and a batch of cookies and make lunch...at the same time.  Distracted and busy cooking and I are not friends.  A cookie sheet left on the hot stove top should NOT be grabbed with an oven-mittless hand.  It hurts...and burns...a lot.  So learn from my mistakes.  I swear, 99% of the scars on my hands and arms (and theres quite a few) are the result of cooking burns.

Sorry for the short intro to the recipe but it has been a BUSY weekend so far!  Company picnic, long runs, and now...the Chris Tomlin concert!!! So, enjoy!

SPICY ROASTED VEGETABLE MACARONI AND CHEESE

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup broccoli florets, chopped into small chunks

1/2 red pepper, diced

1 yellow squash, quartered and diced

10 baby carrots, sliced thinly

2 cups whole wheat pasta (elbow macaroni, rotini, penne, etc.)

1/4 cup olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups milk

2 cups (8 oz.) Sargento® Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 Tbsp. panko breadcrumbs

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Set a medium pot of salted water to boil. Prepare a large baking sheet by lining with aluminum foil and coating with a little olive oil or nonstick cooking spray.

Toss broccoli, red pepper, squash and carrots onto the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until vegetables have softened. Remove from oven and set aside.

Once water is boiling, lower heat slightly and add pasta, cooking according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, stirring constantly until mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in cheddar cheese until well distributed and melted. Add red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Add macaroni and vegetables.

Place mixture in a large casserole dish and sprinkle with panko breadcrumbs. Place under the broiler in your oven (500 degrees) for 3-4 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

Source:  http://www.thecomfortofcooking.com/2013/02/spicy-roasted-vegetable-macaroni-and-cheese.html