Small-Shell Pasta Beefaroni

Better than any packaged version of beef and pasta. The combination of the meat and cheese sauce is fantastic.

RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly coat a 9- x 13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender but still firm. Drain and place in the casserole dish.

3. To make the meat sauce, heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 4 minutes or until softened. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring to break up the meat, for 4 minutes or until no longer pink. Stir in the tomato sauce, cover and cook for about 5 minutes. Set aside.

4. To make the cheese sauce, combine the milk, stock and mustard in a saucepan. Slowly whisk in the flour. Place over medium heat and stir until the mixture begins to boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until the sauce is slightly thickened. Stir in the cheddar cheese and half the Parmesan cheese and stir until melted. Remove from the heat and add to the meat sauce.

5. Pour the sauce over the cooked pasta and stir to combine. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until completely heated through. Garnish with parsley.

INGREDIENTS
8 oz small-shell pasta

MEAT SAUCE:
1 tsp vegetable oil
2/3 cup finely chopped onion
1 1/2 tsp finely chopped garlic
8 oz lean ground beef
1 cup tomato sauce (or store-bought spaghetti sauce)

CHEESE SAUCE:
1 1/4 cups canned evaporated milk (2%)
3/4 cup beef (or chicken) stock
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 cup shredded aged cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp chopped parsley

NOTES
Nutritional Analysis per Serving

Calories 320
Protein 20 g
Fat 7.8 g
Saturated Fat 3.7 g
Carbohydrates 42 g
Cholesterol 34 mg
Sodium 290 mg
Fiber 2.1 g

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes

Make Ahead: Make up to a day in advance and reheat in a 350°F in oven for 10 minutes.

Serves 6

Nutrition Watch: The mustard seeds used in Dijon mustard are a very good source of omega-3 fatty acids as well as iron, calcium and zinc.

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