Guiltless Mac & Cheese

The ultimate comfort food! Go ahead, indulge a little, without all the guilt a normal bowl of mac and cheese brings... :) This mac and cheese is a bowl full of creamy, hot, bubbly goodness...delish!

• 1 package whole wheat elbow pasta

• 1 egg (beaten)




• 1/2 stick butter (I use smart balance)




• 1/4 cup all purpose flour




• 2 1/2 cups lowfat milk




• 1 lb. 2% sharp cheddar cheese




• 2 tsp. powdered mustard




• 1/2 tsp. sea salt, plus more to taste




• 1/2 tsp. seasoned salt, plus more to taste




• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Method:

Cook macaroni al dente, set aside. Beat egg in a small bowl, set aside.

In a large pot, melt butter and sprinkle in flour, whisk together and cook over medium-low heat for five minutes, whisking constantly, don't allow this mixture to burn!

Pour in milk and powdered mustard and whisk together until smooth, continue cooking until very thick, around five minutes, reduce heat to low.

Temper your egg mixture, take a 1/4 cup of the milk mixture and whisk vigorously into the egg mixture, pour the egg mixture into the pot, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth.

Add cheese, stir to melt.

Add salt and pepper, season to taste, you don't want to under salt.

Stir in cooked macaroni.

(if you love a crust on your mac and cheese, you may bake this dish. Simply follow all of the steps, but this time, cook your macaroni until just very firm to the bite. Pour finished mac and cheese into buttered baking dish, top with grated cheese and bake until top is golden brown. However, I don't bake mine because I LOVE the creamy consistency I get, super comforting!)

Enjoy with a crusty piece of bread, curled up under a blanket by the fire. This is how I imagine eating this creamy delicacy, however, in reality, I'm usually found eating it right out of the pot with my children in background saying "Uhhh, Mom, can we eat dinner now?"