Mac N Greens - Great Side Dish

Note: be sure to use your family's favorite cheese(s), and squeeze lots of vegetables into this great side dish. Since this is Thanksgiving week, consider serving it as a side with your feast. It's a delicious "left over" which can easily be served with turkey left overs as well. Here it is shown with Tilapia.

Ingredients:

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tbsp salt

1 box ziti (pasta)

4 cups milk

1 stick butter

1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 cups grated fontaine cheese

4 cups grated extra sharp cheddar

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 strips of bacon, fried and crumbled (optional)

2 roma tomatoes, sliced (or however many needed to cover top of casserole)

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Method:

1. Chop and Prepare the Collards, cooking until tender as shown here. Saute onion in vegetable oil.

2. Prepare pasta according to box directions. Fry 2 strips of bacon on low heat until desired doneness.

3. Grate Cheese. Heat milk in small sauce pan. Do not boil.

4. Melt butter in 4 quart pot.

5. Add flour to butter, making a rue, stirring with whisk.

6. While whisking, add hot milk and cook for 2 more minutes until thick and smooth.

7. Remove from heat. Add Cheeses, bacon, salt, pepper, onion and nutmeg.

8. Add cooked pasta and stir well. Add collards.

9. Pour into 3 quart baking dish. 

10. Slice tomatoes and arrange on top.

11. Bake at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes until cheese is bubbly and browned.

Shown with Tilapia