Baked Tomato Mac n Cheese Casserole

Kids and adults will find this mac-n-cheese recipe to be delicious and a bit different. Tomatoes give the sauce a slight pinkish color and a flavor that is hard to top.

Step: 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a baking dish.

Step: 2

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes; drain, return macaroni to pot, and stir tomatoes into the macaroni. Cook over medium heat until the macaroni absorbs some of the liquid from the tomatoes, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat.

Step: 3

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir flour into melted butter and cook until bubbly, 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly stream half-and-half and chicken broth into the butter mixture while stirring. Bring the mixture to a boil and continue to cook while stirring continually until thickened and bubbly, 2 to 3 minutes.

Step: 4

Remove saucepan from heat. Melt mild Cheddar cheese and sharp Cheddar cheese into the butter mixture one handful at a time, stirring to incorporate each addition before adding the next. Season the cheese mixture with pepper and pour over the macaroni; stir to coat pasta evenly. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and top with crushed crackers.

Step: 5

Bake in preheated oven until crust is golden brown and the liquid is bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Per Serving: 889 calories; protein 34.1g; carbohydrates 62.6g; fat 55.4g; cholesterol 156.3mg; sodium 922.4mg.