My daughter’s friend was coming over for dinner and I didn’t have anything to serve. I didn’t want to cook the boxed macaroni and cheese and so decided to make my own. There is nothing wrong with the boxed kind (especially the healthy ones) – I do make it once in a while but I try not to serve it very often.

The fact is it doesn’t take very long to make your own from scratch. I made the bechamel or white sauce quickly and added the shredded cheese. I boiled whole grain pasta on the side and added that to the mix. I had some homemade tomato sauce which I added as well. Now, in order to make it balance, I needed to come up with a vegetable. I always have frozen spinach in the freezer. I added some of that as well and put it all in an oven proof pan and baked it for about twenty minutes. Best of all- it was a one pot meal- yay!!!

The kids enjoyed it but did not appreciate me calling the pasta macaroni and cheese. They informed me anything with spinach and tomato sauce is not mac and cheese….

• ½ pound whole grain penne or elbow pasta, cooked al dente
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 2 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup homemade tomato sauce
• 1 cup frozen chopped spinach
• Salt

In a large frying pan heat the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic. Saute on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes or till soft. Add thyme and basil. Sprinkle the flour and sauté for a minute. Add the milk and whisk gently to remove lumps. Bring to a boil and simmer till thickened. Add cheese and mix well. Add the spinach and tomato sauce. Mix well and add salt. Add the cooked pasta and place in an oven proof container. Bake in a 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.