Amazing 4 Cheese Mac and Cheese

Sometimes, you just need some mac and cheese. 

Yesterday, I had a rough day that ended with my dog pulling me backwards into a huge pile of mud and my fiancé literally hosing me down in our backyard because he didn't want me to track mud through the house.

Yeah, I needed this.

When I found this recipe that inspired me to make this, I was sad. It called for marscapone cheese, which, if you're not familiar, has about 10 grams of fat in every 2 tablespoons. EEK! 

Justin came to the rescue when he suggested substituting the marscapone for reduced fat cream cheese. Add that to the list of reasons why I am marrying him!

Make sure you check out the original recipe here, but here is what I used:

1 box of whole wheat elbow noodles

5 tbsp of butter

1/2 tsp of olive oil

1 shallot, diced

4-5 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 cup of flour

2 cups of milk (I used fat free)

1/3 cup of reduced fat cream cheese

8 ounces (one hunk) of gruyere cheese

8 ounces of fontina cheese (my new love)

8 ounces of reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 tsp of salt

1/2 tsp of pepper

1/4 tsp of nutmeg

panko bread crumbs

Look at all that fresh shredded cheese...shred your cheese please. I promise you'll thank me later.

Here is what you do...

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Put on a pot of boiling water and cook your pasta. 

2. Meanwhile, in a large pan, heat your butter and olive oil. Then, add your shallot and garlic and cook for about 2-3 minutes on medium high heat.

3. Add your flour and whisk constantly for about 2-3 minutes until thick. 

Butter + flour = roux

4. Slowly add your 2 cups of milk and stir the mixture until it is smooth. 

5. Allow your milk to warm, about 4 minutes. Then, add cream cheese and all your other cheeses and stir until thick, cheesy and smooth. Then, add salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

6. Drain your pasta, then add to your cheese sauce and mix well.

7. Pour the mixture into a large baking dish, top evenly with bread crumbs and bake for 30 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and let sit for about 5-10 minutes.
9. ENJOY!!

This (and a glass of wine) completely turned my day around. I hope you love it as much as I did :)