Quick skillet mac & cheese

It's not very often that I write a blog entry about lunch. Today, however, I made homemade mac & cheese in an iron skillet. I spent more time than usual preparing this compared to a typical lunch. It was worth my time.

I used whole wheat rotelle (I'd use regular "white" pasta next time) and boiled to al dente. I drained the water and set the noodles aside.

Meanwhile, I melted 3 tablespoons of butter in an iron skillet, whisked in 3 tablespoons of flour and added two cups of milk. I stirred the ingredients constantly until it began to thicken. Then I added the cheese. I used approximately four ounces of shredded mozzarella and four ounces of shredded cheddar and Monterrey jack. The cheese melted quickly. I continued stirring while adding thyme and Worcestershire sauce. When the mixture was a smooth, creamy texture, I added the pasta and covered completely with the sauce.

I topped the mac & cheese with Parmesan, put it in the oven and broiled it on high for five minutes. I took it out and the top was slightly crunchy and underneath the surface was the creamiest mac & cheese you've ever seen.

I wish I could say the taste equalled the presentation, but it didn't. Don't get me wrong, it was very good and better than most lunches that I eat, but it fell short of my expectations. I'm beginning to realize that it's difficult to make flavorful dishes with whole wheat pasta. It doesn't pull out the taste like regular pasta. It's healthier, though, so there's a trade off. I'd use regular pasta in the future, though. Once again, it was very good.

Ingredients:
12 ounces whole wheat rotelle pasta
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
4 ounces shredded cheddar and Monterrey jack cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Music: Cascada - Evacuate the Dance Floor
Weather: 12 degrees, in the middle of a blizzard