Three-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese

This week’s Meatless Monday meal is Three-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese. The most delicious comfort food ever! Perfect for a cold winter meal. This recipe took about 15 minutes to prepare {I prepped in the morning} and 30 – 35 minutes to bake. Serves 6 – 8. I used three types of cheese to add a complex flavor profile to the dish.

Ingredients: (Please note, these are approximate measures. I do not measure when I cook, I simply eyeball, cross my fingers and hope for the best! It’s okay to use more of an ingredient that you like and it’s great to experiment by substituting ingredients!)
¾ pound whole wheat elbow macaroni
¾ cup white cheddar cheese, shredded
½ cup Swiss cheese, shredded
½ cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 eggs, beaten {it is best to bring your eggs to room temperature before using them}
½ cup Sour Cream {I used Trader Joe’s non-fat}
2 tsp organic unsalted butter, softened and cut into small pieces
½ cup organic skim milk
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and Pepper, freshly grated, to taste
¼ cup Panko breadcrumbs, if desired

Cooking Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9 X 13 pan with unsalted butter.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta, cook according to package directions until al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, using a food processor, shred your cheeses. {Keep in mind, you can use store bought shredded cheese, but it is typically more economical to shred your own. Plus it’s more fun!}
Once the pasta finishes cooking, drain and return to pot. Add your cheese mixture and stir to combine.
In separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients except for the Panko breadcrumbs. Add this mixture to your cheesey macaroni pot and stir well.
Transfer to greased pan, top with Panko breadcrumbs and bake for 30 – 35 minutes until golden brown.

Note: If you’re prepping this dish ahead of time, wait to add the Panko breadcrumbs until just before baking. This ensures they won’t be soggy.