Creamy Four-Cheese Macaroni

I can’t recall for how many years I’ve subscribed to Cooking Light. Let’s just say it’s been over 10. Each year, I look forward to the November Thanksgiving issue, so you can imagine my surprise when November arrived and it wasn’t the Thanksgiving issue (I guess there really are only so many ways to make Turkey) but instead an issue featuring the best of Cooking Light for the past 25 years.

I’m thinking the best of 25 years, then these recipes have to be good, right? Well, maybe…

Last night I started with the Creamy Four-Cheese Macaroni. And to save you the effort of reading, while this was good, we (as in Sammi and I), prefer Creamy, Light Macaroni and Cheese to this recipe. Here’s why:

1. Both recipes take a bit of effort fresh shredding/grating cheese (I make Sammi do this), but this one, with four cheeses, just takes that much longer.
2. You have to constantly stir the milk-flour mixture for eight minutes. Eight minutes is a while! That said though, I was pleased as punch how the mixture of fat free milk (I use organic fat free milk, not 1% as called for in the recipe), thickened up without the addition of any fat. I’m going to try this technique going forward for chowders and such.
3. I feel “healthier” eating the Creamy version – call me crazy – but just knowing it has all that butternut squash in there makes me feel healthier.
4. What the heck am I going to do with the remaining 5 ounces of Velveeta? Cheese will get eaten, but Velveeta?

Anyway, here’s my version of the recipe (as I made some changes based upon what I had in the house). Make them both and see what you think.

Ingredients
1.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/3 cup)
2 2/3 cups fat free milk
2 ounces shredded fontina cheese (about 1/2 cup)
2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup)
2 ounces shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese (about 1/2 cup)
3 ounces light processed cheese (such as light Velveeta)
6 cups cooked elbow macaroni (about 3 cups uncooked)

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
1/3 cup plain bread crumbs
1/4t garlic powder
1 tablespoon canola oil

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour in a large saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick (about 8 minutes), stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat; let stand 4 minutes or until sauce cools to 155°. Add cheeses, and stir until the cheeses melt. Stir in cooked macaroni, salt, and black pepper.

3. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine bread crumbs, oil, and garlic in small bowl; stir until well blended. Sprinkle over macaroni mixture. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until bubbly.