Healthier Three-Cheese Shells and Cheese
For tonight’s dinner, I decided to do another new recipe for my 50 in 15 Challenge, and tackle a healthified version of “Mac and Cheese”. After scouring around for various recipes, I landed on a recipe for Three-Cheese Macaroni at the Food Network website. I made a couple slight modifications to the recipe, and the end result was a rich and creamy dish, perfect for a chilly winter evening.
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 12 oz. can evaporated milk (I used fat-free)
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
- Pinch of cayenne pepper and ground nutmeg
- 4 oz. grated muenster cheese (plus additional slices for topping)
- 2 oz. grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 oz. grated Parmesan cheese (plus additional for topping)
- 1/2 head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 4 c. medium pasta shells
- Bread crumbs
- Additional fillings, as desired (e.g. chopped spinach, broccoli florets, diced bacon, diced tomatoes, etc.)
Directions
- Whisk the egg, evaporated milk, and spices in a bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mix the grated cheeses.
- In another bowl, mix together equal parts bread crumbs and grated Parmesan cheese.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and cook until almost falling apart (7-8 minutes). Transfer cauliflower with a slotted spoon to a separate bowl.
- Add the pasta to the same water and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Preheat the oven broiler.
- Combine the egg mixture and the grated cheeses in the empty pot and cook over medium-low heat until the cheeses melt and the sauce thickens, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and add the cauliflower. Purée with an immersion blender (or use a regular blender) until creamy, adding additional water if needed.
- Combine the pasta with the cheese and transfer to a casserole dish. If desired, stir in additional fillings.
- Top with slices of muenster cheese (if desired) and sprinkle with bread crumb mixture. Broil until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
Notes
As I mentioned above, I made a few modifications to this recipe, including adding in some diced bacon (at my wife’s request), adding a mix of bread crumbs and grated Parmesan cheese to the top before broiling, and portioning out 2 individual ramekins for the initial meal while cooking the rest in a regular casserole dish. I was very happy with the end result. It was delightfully light and creamy, yet surprisingly rich at the same time. All-in-all, it was a great addition to my 50 in 15 Challenge, and a suitable healthy substitution to a classic comfort food.
Oh, and for the record, why must everyone call all pasta-and-cheese dishes “Mac and Cheese”, even when the pasta used isn’t Macaroni?!? Maybe it’s just me, but it’s quite annoying. Thus, I always make it a point to call out the actual type of pasta I use, rather than automatically calling any pasta with cheese “Mac and Cheese”.
Bon Appétit!
