Suped-up Mac n' cheese

Rachael Ray always says if you need your kids to eat veggies, wrap them up in cheese. This is a take on Macaroni and Cheese that is pumped up with vegetables. I took this to a funeral today, and it was a hit. Don't be worried about the size of this recipe--it isn't as hard to make as it looks, and I tried to write the instructions to simplify things.

Suped-up Mac n' Cheese

1 lb elbow macaroni noodles
1 onion
1 box frozen spinach, thawed and drained well
1 quart milk
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup flour
1 lb shredded colby-jack (0r cheddar) cheese
8 oz (1 box) cream cheese
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup diced deli ham
1 tsp crushed garlic (1 or 2 cloves)
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika (regular paprika works too)
1/2 tsp dried dill
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2-4 tomatoes, depending on the size and how much you like tomatoes


Instructions:
1) Boil a large pot of water. When it gets boiling, add about 1 tbsp salt and pour in the pasta. Cook for about 8 minutes, or until al dente. Different pastas will vary in cooking time, so be sure to check. Meanwhile:

2) Heat the milk for 4 minutes in the microwave.

3) Chop the onion. In a 2 quart skillet or saucepan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat and add the onion. Sautee until the onion gets soft, about 3 minutes. Pour the cooked onion into a really big bowl (this bowl will eventually hold the entire dish, so make sure it is big enough).

4) Put the same saucepan back on the stove and lower the heat to medium-low. Add the butter, let it melt. Then sprinkle in the flour and whisk to combine. Keep whisking for about 1 minute. This is called a roux, and will thicken the sauce.

5) Add the hot milk to the roux and whisk constantly until the milk gets nice and thick. A few bubbles might show up. Now this is called a white sauce, or bechamel. (by the way, have you checked on your noodles?) Add the cream cheese and the grated cheese, stir it really well, until things melt. Turn off the heat.

6) In that big bowl, put in the drained spinach, the completed cheese sauce, and all the ingredients EXCEPT the tomatoes. Stir everything together. Drain the noodles (if you haven't already,) and add those. Fold the entire mixture gently, but thoroughly, until everything is mixed and looking yummy. Pour into a big casserole dish, about 15x11". This makes a lot.

7) Slice the tomatoes into pretty rounds. Place them on the top of the casserole. Bake the dish at 350 degrees for 1/2 hour, until it is bubbly and warmed through. If you want, you can even sprinkle crushed crackers, breadcrumbs, or Parmesan cheese on the top.

Cook's note: If you don't work with frozen spinach very often, you should try. This recipe is a good place to start. Because the spinach is in a big pot of cheesy pasta goodness, there isn't much to dislike. You can buy frozen spinach right with the other frozen vegetables, and usually comes in small 8 oz boxes. When you use it, thaw it in the microwave for 2 or 3 minutes. Take it out of the box and put it in a fine mesh strainer or even just a towel. Squeeze it until the green water stops coming out. You'll be surprised how much water is in there--that's why you've got to drain it. Otherwise things gets soupy. I like to serve mine as a side dish with a little melted butter, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, sometimes a splash of vinegar or lemon juice too.