2 foodies, 2 cubicles, 2 cities, one giant appetite.

Miss Yunks likes to cook one big meal at the beginning of the week so she has something to eat for the whole week without cooking every day. Not to toot my own horn, but it’s a very good idea if you work all day and are busy at night!

So, what’s a meal to cook that has enough protein and veggies? Macaroni and Cheese with veggies!

I made my own baked mac & cheese once before but I couldn’t remember the recipe I used (shows how good that was) so I began my search again. I headed to smittenkitchen.com because I love her photos and recipes, I thought she must have a great mac & cheese recipe! Well, I was right. She blogged about Martha Stewart’s Creamy Macaroni and Cheese, Adapted from Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The Original Classics.

I adapted this recipe to fit my needs and cut it in half because little Miss Yunks does not need 12 servings of mac & cheese, as good as it is.

Here is my version of Martha Stewart’s Creamy Macaroni and Cheese:

4 tablespoons margarine (half stick)
2 2/3 cup regular soy milk
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 1/4 cup grated sharp white cheddar cheese
4 oz grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1/2 pound elbow macaroni (half box)
3 average size heads of broccoli, chopped
1/2 box frozen spinach
Panko breadcrumbs

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside.

2. Heat milk and melt margarine in medium size pot over medium heat.

3. When it bubbles, add the flour. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick, 8 to 12 minutes.

4. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cheddar cheese, and most of the Pecorino Romano; set the cheese sauce aside.

5. Cover a large pot of water, and bring to a boil. Add macaroni, broccoli, and spinach. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, pasta should not be fully cooked. Transfer the macaroni and veggies to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir the macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce.

6. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle the remaining any leftover Pecorino Romano, and enough Panko breadcrumbs to generously cover the mac & cheese. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Cool for a few minutes then serve! Put leftovers in individual portions in tupperware for the rest of the week.

I got 4 servings out of this. Could have been 5 or 6 but I like to eat a lot…

And the verdict? SO GOOD! I had Roomie try it and she loved it too. After she said she loved it I told her I used soy milk – she totally had no idea. If you prefer to use soy milk too, your guests won’t be able to tell the difference. I chose this recipe because smittenkitchen said it reheated well. She was right. The leftovers are almost good as it was fresh out of the oven. This dish is great for you, your family, or to bring to a party!