Cauliflower Mac ‘n’ Cheese

 

Ingredients

· 1 medium head cauliflower (1 1/2 pounds), core discarded, florets cut into 2-inch pieces

· 4 medium carrots (10 ounces), thinly sliced

· 1 cup no-salt-added vegetable broth

· 1/4 cup reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel)

· 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

· Pinch cayenne (ground red) pepper

· 3 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded (3/4 cup)

· 1/2 teaspoon salt

· 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

· 12 ounces elbow macaroni

· 8 ounces small broccoli florets (3 cups)

· 2 medium plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

· 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

 

Steps

1) Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat covered 8-quart saucepot of salted water to boiling over high heat.

2) Add cauliflower and carrots to boiling water. Cook until very tender, about 15 minutes.

3) Meanwhile, in blender, combine broth, cream cheese, mustard, cayenne pepper, 1/2 cup Gruyere salt, and black pepper. With slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to blender. Puree until very smooth.

4) Add pasta to same saucepot of boiling water. Cook half the time that label directs, adding broccoli during last minute of cooking. Drain; return to pot. Stir in cauliflower sauce and half of tomatoes. Spread evenly in shallow 2 1/2-quart baking dish. Top with reaming cheeses and tomatoes.

5) Bake until golden brown on top and heated through, about 35 minutes.

 

 

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Makes: 6 main-dish servings

 

From: Casseroles: 60 Fabulous One Dish Recipes

By: Good Housekeeping