Macaroni and Cheese Casserole

I wish you could smell this…

It’s a busy season. You’re scrambling to get it all done. Wouldn’t it be great to have a yummy dinner that you just mix all in one bowl, dump into a casserole dish and bake? I love those kind of recipes. I give you:

Macaroni & Cheese Casserole*

1 (16oz) container low-fat cottage cheese
1 (8oz) container low-fat sour cream
1 large egg
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
8oz dry elbow macaroni (that’s 1/2 a box)
Paprika
Breadcrumbs and butter/margarine (optional)

Cook the macaroni while you prep the rest of the ingredients. I usually use Barilla Plus or whole wheat macaroni for extra nutrition. In a large bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients and stir well. Drain macaroni and add to bowl. Stir to combine. Spoon into a lightly-greased 1-quart baking dish and sprinkle with paprika. For extra yumminess, you can melt a little butter and stir in some breadcrumbs, then sprinkle that on top as well. That’s how you get the crusty top.

Bake at 350° for 45 minutes, and let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving. I usually serve this with a green veg (like broccoli or green beans) and a big salad.

*I could have sworn this came from an issue of Cooking Light magazine many years ago, and I also balked at how it could possibly be considered “light,” even with low-fat dairy used.

Karen

Tuesday 10th of April 2012

I have a method for baking macaroni and cheese that skips pre-cooking the macaroni, so there's only one dish, and it works well with the gluten-free macaroni I like. You'll need to adjust the liquid for the type of macaroni you use. It's on Foods.com at http://www.food.com/recipe/one-dish-baked-macaroni-and-cheese-414515 Make sure there's enough space in the casserole dish for it to bubble up toward the end of baking, or it will run over the sides (removing the lid helps).

Angela

Tuesday 15th of December 2009

that looks so good and I have been looking for an easy mac & cheese type dish. Now to see if it passes the picky husband and picky one year old test... lol

Anonymous

Monday 14th of December 2009

I just finished prepping this for dinner tonight. Thanks for the recipe! It's perfect for a busy night ahead because it's already "made" and just has to bake.