Macaroni & Cheese Recipe

I have one of my own that's definitely not low in fat, but the kids like it.

2 cups of cubed Velveeta
3/4 cup whole milk or half and half
4 tablespoons of butter/margarine (sliced in small pats)

Boil 6 cups of water. Once boiling add 1 1/2 cups of small elbow macaroni or tiny shells. Boil until al dente for about 7 to 9 minutes.

While bringing the pasta water to a boil, in a separate saucepan, melt Velveeta, 1/2 cup of milk, and butter on medium low heat. Slowly continue to pour in the remaining milk and continue stirring. Use a double-boiler pan if you have one for the best results. If you don't have one, and the sauce begins to scald, turn down the heat to the lowest setting and continue to keep stirring until the cheese and milk are blended and creamy. It'll take about 15 to 20 minutes to get the sauce to a creamy consistency. The key to success is a slow melt and continuous stirring.

Drain pasta, and return to pot. Slowly pour in cheese sauce and stir entire pan of sauce into the pasta, mixing it throughly until blended. Top servings with pepper to taste and shredded or grated parmesean cheese. Enjoy.

This is a Rachel Ray recipe that I've made. My kids loved it. I added some cauliflower to it. Or you can even add other veggies and some cooked chicken.

2 cups elbow macaroni
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2 cups half & half, warmed
One 8-oz bag shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
Salt

In a large saucepan of boiling, salted water, cook the macaroni until al dente; drain in a colander.

In the another saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the warmed half-and-half and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is steaming hot and thick, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheddar until melted. Stir in the cooked macaroni and season to taste with salt.

I make a super simplified version that is pretty healthy. It's not your typical saucy kind, but my boys love it. I boil the pasta with 2 chicken bouillon cubes, drain when tender, and grate sharp cheddar cheese over the hot pasta. The bouillon gives it extra flavor so you don't need as much cheese, especially when you use sharp cheddar.
I have also made a sauce (blend all ingredients together well and heat in a sauce pan- measurements are approximate) with 1 part cooked and pureed cauliflower and carrots, 2 parts fat-free cottage cheese, 3 parts sharp cheddar. with seasoning salt and pepper to taste. The kids- mine and a friend's- chowed it down!

My kids LOVE this recipe:

Oven Style Mac-N-Cheese

2 cups whole wheat elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
2 cups small curd 1% milkfat cottage cheese
1 cup fat free or light sour cream
1 egg slightly beaten
2 to 3 cups chedder or sharp chedder cheese

Mix all together and out into a 2 quart casserole dish sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Sometimes we use whole wheat rotini noodles instead. or you can use white noodles but the whole wheat are better for you and with all the goodies kids can't tell any different.