Thursday 4/22 "Macaroni and Cheese with Broccoli"

This is a Rachael Ray meal.

• 1 box penne ($1.00)
• 1 pkg. frozen broccoli ($1.00)
• 3 tblsp. butter (previously purchased)
• 2 cloves garlic (previously purchased)
• 3 tblsp. flour (previously purchased)
• 1/2 c. chicken stock (previously purchased)
• 2 c. milk ($3.98)
• 2 1/2 c. cheddar cheese ($2.98)

Cook pasta according to package. Either add broccoli at end of pasta cooking time or microwave it. Melt butter over medium high heat. Add garlic (minced or finely chopped). Add flour and cook for one minute. Add chicken stock and milk (note: this is going to work a lot better with whole milk. Skim does not thicken up as well.) Add in 2 c. of cheese when mixture is boiling. Pour into a serving dish and top with 1/2 c. cheese and garnish and broil until cheese is bubbling.

The verdict: I love making mac and cheese from scratch. A lot of times I will add random veggies that I have left over. I think this time I added a few chicken nuggets that hadn't been eaten! Total cost to make: $8.96.