Broccoli Mac & Cheese

(from largomason’s recipe box)

Source: honeywhatscooking.com

Ingredients

  • Barilla Elbows - 1 lb.
  • Water - enough to boil pasta
  • Salt to taste - to season pasta water
  • Olive Oil - 1 tsp (to season pasta water)
  • Broccoli - 2 heads (cut into florets)
  • Milk 1% - 2 1/2 cups
  • Garlic - 1 big clove
  • Unsalted Butter - 2 tbsp
  • White Flour - 2 tbsp
  • Black Pepper - 1 tsp
  • Paprika - 1 tsp
  • Salt - 1 tsp (more or less)
  • Colby / Cheddar Cheese - 2 cups (I had Colby on hand... you can use Reduced Fat)
  • Crushed Red Pepper Flakes - 1 tsp (optional... I like heat)
  • Progresso Italian Bread Crumbs - 2 tbsp
  • Parmesan Cheese - 1/2 cup

Directions

  1. Boil the water for your pasta.

  2. In the meantime, cut your broccoli into florets. I didn’t let the good part of the stem go wasted. Place broccoli in a colander

  3. Once the water boils… season the water with salt and a tsp of Olive Oil to prevent sticking

  4. Add Elbows Pasta.

  5. Place the colander above the pasta water.

  6. Cover with a lid and allow the pasta to cook until Al Dente… about 7-8 minutes.

  7. In a small pot on low-medium heat, heat 2 1/2 cups of 1% milk. Allow this to heat up, not steam or boil.

  8. Add the garlic to the milk, this will create garlic-infused milk.

  9. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

  10. While the milk heats up, in a separate larger pot on medium heat, add butter. Allow the butter to melt. Now add the flour. Keep stirring for 3-4 minutes, this will help cook the flour.

  11. Once hot, add the milk slowly to the butter-flour mixture. Keep stirring. This will help thicken the sauce.

  12. Check on the pasta… turn off the heat if the pasta is done cooking. The broccoli should be steamed and slightly crunchy, this is OK.

  13. Back to the sauce. Add black pepper. Add paprika. Add salt. Combine. Fetch out the garlic clove, you can throw it away. Add 2 cups of Cheddar / Colby Cheese… or any combination you prefer.

  14. Stir for 2 minutes until a creamy sauce is formed. Turn off the stove. Add red pepper flakes… this is optional. I love heat so I added some. Stir.

  15. Add broccoli to the baking dish.

  16. Drain the pasta.

  17. Add the elbows pasta to the sauce. Combine well. Check for seasonings, add more salt NOW, if need be.

  18. Pour the elbows pasta over the broccoli. Mix the pasta and broccoli. Season with bread crumbs… I used 2 tbsp

  19. Top off with parmesan cheese, or any other cheese you prefer.

  20. Bake for 30 minutes – uncovered – at 350 degrees.

  21. TIP: I added some garlic powder on top.

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