Four Cheese Macaroni Bake

Four- Cheese Macaroni Bake

At only 33¢ a serving, this creamy casserole is a freezer success. You can lower the price another 10¢ a serving if you buy macaroni on sale for 79¢ a pound.
Ingredients
Serves: Prep: 14minCook: 56min Total: 1hr 10min
NOTE: Ingredients for a changed serving size are based on a calculation and are not reviewed by the author or tested. Please also consider scaling up or down cooking containers as needed.
3 cups elbow macaroni
1 cup minced onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups skim milk
3/4 cup nonfat cottage cheese
1/2 cup shredded low-fat extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded nonfat mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs

Directions
1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat a 13" x 9" freezer-proof baking dish with no-stick spray.
2.
Cook the macaroni in a large pot of boiling water according to the package directions. Drain well. Place in a large bowl.
3.
Coat a large saucepan with no-stick spray and place over medium- high heat until hot. Add the onions, garlic, and oil. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until the onions are golden brown. Add the flour. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes (the mixture will be dry).
4.
In a blender or food processor, combine the milk and cottage cheese. Process until smooth. Add to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Add the Cheddar, mozzarella, and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan. Cook for 2 minutes, or until the cheeses melt.
5.
Stir in the macaroni, salt, and pepper. Spoon into the prepared baking dish.
6.
In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Sprinkle over the macaroni. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown.


Recipe Notes To freeze, cool the cooked casserole. Wrap the baking dish in freezer-quality plastic wrap, then in freezer-quality foil. To use, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Remove the foil and plastic wrap; discard the plastic wrap. Cover with the foil and bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until hot.

Nutritional Facts per serving
CALORIES
298.4 CAL
FAT
3.6 G
SATURATED FAT
1.5 G
CHOLESTEROL
10.9 MG
SODIUM
420.6 MG
CARBOHYDRATES
47 G
TOTAL SUGARS
8.2 G
DIETARY FIBER
2.2 G
PROTEIN
18.1 G