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Easy Whole Wheat Mac ‘n Cheese

March 24, 2011 by Mary Anne Rittenhouse 32 Comments

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Mary Anne here. This past weekend the Rittenhouse/Baker/Goodson clan regaled Mariel with a birthday celebration fit for a princess. It’s not every year you face the daunting 3-0, so it needed to be a memorable occasion that would continue to make her smile for years to come. Since she was dreading the onset of a new decade, I decided to throw her one last kiddie party, complete with streamers, balloons, Pin-the-Tail-on-the-Donkey, a pinata filled with her favorite teeth-rotting candies, and party favors galore. Mariel is an avid horsewoman, so My Little Pony adorned the paper plates, cups, and plastic tablecloth while a Cinderella Pez dispenser topped one of her two cakes; (yes, we had both a Coconut Cake and Carrot Cake!) My darling girl acted accordingly – as any self-respecting three-year-old might – when she stomped her feet and stubbornly refused to wear the rhinestone-studded tiara her brother and I so carefully chose. Her brother summed it up best, “Hey, at least we didn’t pay the extra two dollars for the one with pink fur.” No crown of paste and glass was glitzy enough to mess with Mariel’s freshly coiffed ‘do. The party was a blast right ’til the very end and we all laughed ourselves silly, playing those wonderful games from our now-too-distant childhood. And while I prepared many of Mariel’s favorite dishes, including Crab Cakes, Mango Salsa, Prosciutto Spirals, and Chipotle Spiced Pulled Pork Sliders with homemade Slaw (just to name a few), I realized that no kid’s party is complete without Mac ‘n Cheese! Mariel’s two pint-size nephews partook in the festivities, so I created a dish that was mild enough for the little guys while serving up enough cheesy flavor to satisfy the adults. It was a smashing success given that the grown-ups went back for thirds and the kids didn’t throw theirs on the floor. And speaking of tiny tots, when Mariel and her brothers were just old enough to voice an opinion, they weren’t afraid to let me know when I came up short at dinnertime, which was more often than I’d care to admit given that I juggled catering and decorating jobs. Back then, I was known to prepare – (gasp) – prepackaged, fluorescent yellow Kraft Cheese & Macaroni. I assuaged my guilt by dressing it up with fresh peas and diced ham, which you can certainly do with this homemade rendition to make it a more complete meal. Any way you dish it up, this creamy comfort food is a favorite of both young and old. Happy Birthday-Week, with endless love, to the fairest princess of them all!
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Easy Whole Wheat Mac n’ Cheese Serves 8 as an Entrée or Serves 16 as a Side

Note: Use any combination of your favorite cheeses including mild to sharp cheddar, Jarlsberg, Smoked Gouda, Gruyere or Parmesan. Ingredients: 2½ cups milk, heated to a very low simmer (I used 1%) – stock 1 lb. whole wheat elbow macaroni – $1.69 5 Tablespoons sweet butter, divided: 3 +1 + 1 – stock 3 Tablespoons flour – stock 1 teaspoon dried mustard – stock 1 cup grated Jarlsberg cheese – $2.29 1 cup grated cheddar cheese – $1.25 salt and pepper to taste – stock ¾ cup fresh, unseasoned breadcrumbs – stock Grand Total Assuming Well–Stocked Pantry: $5.23 Total Per 8 Entrée Servings: $0.65 Total Per 16 Side Servings: $0.33 Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 9 x 13 inch lasagna pan with 1 Tablespoon of the soft butter. 2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 3. Meanwhile, warm the milk to a “quiet simmer”, in a small saucepan over medium-low flame. Be careful not to scorch the milk. 4. Cook the pasta until just al dente. It will finish cooking in the oven. Drain in a colander and rinse immediately in cold water to stop the cooking process. Transfer the pasta to a large bowl. 5. Prepare the white sauce. Using a medium saucepan, melt 3 Tablespoons of the butter. Stir in the flour and cook over medium-low flame, whisking constantly for 5 minutes. Whisk in the dried mustard. 6. Very gradually, add the warmed milk, whisking constantly until smooth. The sauce should thicken a bit. 7. Remove from the flame and add the cheeses, stirring well to combine thoroughly. 8. Pour the cheese sauce over the cooled pasta, season with salt and pepper, stirring well to combine. 9. Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole/lasagna pan. 10. Using your fingers, mix the final pat of butter with the fresh breadcrumbs. 11. Sprinkle the buttered breadcrumbs evenly over the top of the Mac ‘n Cheese. 12. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the breadcrumbs are golden. Garnish with a bit more grated cheese of your choice, if desired.

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Filed Under: Entrees, Last-Minute Meals, Pasta, Recipe Index, Recipes Under $10, Side Dishes, Super Sundays, Vegetarian Tagged With: basics, budget, cooking, dinner, entertaining, family, food, kid-friendly, Pasta, Recipes Under $10, Super Sundays, The Lows, vegetarian

About Mary Anne Rittenhouse

The mother in this mother-daughter duo, Mary Anne is a registered nurse who has also worked for over two decades as a professional caterer

Comments

  1. Julie M. says

    March 24, 2011 at 7:24 am

    How can you ever go wrong with a hot hearty bowl of mac and cheese? Yours looks just perfect to suit my cheesy desires. 🙂 A very Happy Birthday to Mariel! I can firmly say that the thirties have been a great decade so far. Enjoy them!

    Reply
  2. Liz @ Blog is the New Black says

    March 24, 2011 at 8:07 am

    Aw, what a cute story! I hope someone does that for me when I turn 30! This recipe looks great, Mary Anne!

    Reply
  3. Jenn from Much to My Delight says

    March 24, 2011 at 9:30 am

    I love that party idea! I still throw myself “childlike” bday parties (I’m 33). Last year we had a silly photo booth, and this year I plan on having face-painting. Love the sophisticated menu you created to offset the girlish theme. Happy birthday to Mariel!

    Reply
  4. Lana @ Never Enough Thyme says

    March 24, 2011 at 10:02 am

    What an adorable idea – throwing a kid’s birthday party for someone turning the big 3-0. Very cute! And the mac and cheese is fabulous, too! Everyone from 3 to 93 loves mac and cheese!

    Reply
  5. Miss @ Miss in the Kitchen says

    March 24, 2011 at 10:32 am

    What a sweet party! I love mac and cheese, even from the box, but yours sounds like perfection!

    Reply
  6. Nutmeg Nanny says

    March 24, 2011 at 10:46 am

    What a fantastic party! I bet she loved it 🙂

    The mac & cheese looks great too. I like the use of whole wheat pasta and the tasty mix of cheeses…yum!

    Reply
  7. Alison @ Ingredients, Inc. says

    March 24, 2011 at 10:59 am

    Love this one! Will be making this for sure

    Reply
  8. Marly says

    March 24, 2011 at 11:14 am

    We have a vegan version of mac & cheese that we love too. It’s not only affordable, but provides lots of comfort too!

    Reply
  9. Shaina says

    March 24, 2011 at 11:25 am

    Gorgeous mac and cheese! I’ve been meaning to make some myself.

    Reply
  10. Michelle says

    March 24, 2011 at 6:42 pm

    This looks fab! I’ve got WW pasta on my ToDo List and hope to get to it soon!

    Reply
  11. Cathy says

    March 25, 2011 at 12:44 am

    This looks so yummy!

    Reply
  12. foodtable says

    March 25, 2011 at 1:17 am

    Mariel, Happy Belated Birthday! And wow, what a feast! This has got to be the fanciest 3 y.o bday party ever with crab cakes and other yummies! Lol. That mac & cheese look amazing!

    Reply
  13. Elizabeth says

    March 26, 2011 at 9:14 pm

    Beautiful! One of our weeknight favorites.

    Reply
  14. srithasan says

    March 27, 2011 at 12:20 pm

    Thats look so nice & yummy. I love to make & eat that.

    Reply
  15. srithasan says

    March 27, 2011 at 12:21 pm

    Its yummy & lovely.Nice to eat.

    Reply
  16. Sommer@ASpicyPerspective says

    March 27, 2011 at 11:18 pm

    Cute story! This looks utterly addictive.

    Reply
  17. Jenna says

    March 28, 2011 at 12:03 pm

    What a fun party!! And your mac and cheese recipe sounds great. Mac and cheese is one of my favorite foods. I just made a ‘fancy’ adult/Italian version, “Pasta Quattro Formaggi” (using an America’s Test Kitchen recipe), but I’m still tweaking it to get it where I want it.

    Reply
    • feastonthecheap says

      March 29, 2011 at 6:02 pm

      I did a crab with 4 cheeses and mac last summer. It was divine, but a bit of a splurge. Let us know what you do with yours. LOVE anything mac ‘n cheese!

      Reply
  18. Elle says

    March 28, 2011 at 12:12 pm

    Oh my gosh, I love the kiddie party idea! I may have to steal it, too. This recipe is great for any day, but perfect for a kids fun birthday.

    Reply
  19. agnes aliberto says

    March 28, 2011 at 2:20 pm

    KUDOS to Mary Anne,[the QUEEN of Super-moms ] , for hosting a fantastic birthday party for her “Princess” Mariel !!!What a loving & memoral celebration! Thank you , dear “Queen of Super-moms” for sharing this wonderful event with your e-audience. YOU ARE THE BEST !!! LOVE< Mrs.A P.S. My gran-kids love your recipe for Mac& cheese.

    Reply
    • feastonthecheap says

      March 28, 2011 at 5:44 pm

      Thanks, Mrs. A. You are toooo kind!! xoxo

      Reply
  20. Trevor Cook says

    May 12, 2011 at 5:08 pm

    Just finished off my second round of this dish.. it is great! Pretty easy to make and tasted wonderful. I used white cheddar and parmesan, it was really nice. Also, I used italian-seasoned breadcrumbs I had in the pantry, and it definitely didn’t taste over seasoned. I would definitely recommend trying this recipe out, it was really enjoyable! It is so versatile too! I think next time I will add asparagus or mushrooms!

    Reply
    • feastonthecheap says

      May 12, 2011 at 9:04 pm

      Oh yum! Sauteed ‘shrooms would be perfect. So glad you enjoyed your dinner! Best, M&M

      Reply

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