Baked Macaroni and Cheese

(photo by Randy Mayor, courtesy of cookinglight.com)

This is my all time favorite mac & cheese recipe. I love it because it has great texture and flavor and is a lot healthier than your typical mac & cheese. It is also super easy to make and is an easy dish to serve for lunch when you have guests staying with you. Sometimes I add grilled or lightly breaded chicken for some added protein. Yum! It is from the Best of Cooking Light cookbook

Ingredients

- 4 cups cooked elbow macaroni (about 2 cups (8 oz) uncooked)

- 2 cups (8 oz) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese

- 1 cup 1% low-fat cottage cheese

- 3/4 cup nonfat sour cream

- 1/2 cup skim milk

- 3 tablespoons finely chopped onion (I usually I add more)

- 1 1/2 teaspoons butter, melted

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 1/4 teaspoon pepper

- 1 egg, lightly beaten

- Vegetable cooking spray

- 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs

- 1 tablespoon butter, melted

- 1/4 teaspoon paprika

- Fresh oregano sprigs (I rarely use these but feel free too if you want better presentation)

Preparation

Combine first 10 ingredients; stir well, and spoon into a 2-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Combine breadcrumbs and next 2 ingredients; stir well. Sprinkle over casserole. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 5 minutes or until set. Garnish with oregano.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Nutritional Information
Calories: 356 (28% from fat)
Fat: 11.2g (sat 5.2g,mono 3.3g,poly 1.4g)
Protein: 24.9g
Carbohydrate: 37.5g
Fiber: 1.2g
Cholesterol: 63mg
Iron: 2mg
Sodium: 724mg
Calcium: 402mg