Say Cheese

Okay, I've been a really bad lately.  I have had more cheese in my diet than I would like to have, and for the most part, I feel icky about it.  Sometimes though, you just can't help it.  Let's face it, cheese is so damn good!  Even lactose intolerants like myself love what James Van Der Beek calls "edible lactose gold" in Ke$ha's new music video (sidenote: where did he come from all of a sudden?)-- even if we can't eat it without getting a stomach ache.  And quite frankly, it's in everything you buy or eat at a restaurant.  My latest battle with cheese overdose was all my doing.

I was in the mood for comfort food, and mac and cheese seemed like a good idea.  If I'm going to eat m&c frozen, I prefer Amy's or Trader Joe's-- which has a four-cheese dish that is the absolute *best* I have ever had.  For stovetop, I go with Annie's Organic.  Usually I throw steamed broccoli in there too, just to make it slightly more nutritious.  Last night, I did that, and then took it one step further.  I decided to make baked mac and cheese... the easy way.

I made the m&c according to instructions, except instead of milk I added in a few tablespoons of Earth Balance "butter."  Sometimes I use soy milk, but I didn't have that on hand.  I suppose it's one of those things that every vegetarian should have, but I just never really see the use for it.  Anyway, back in the kitchen, I also added in lots of fresh, steamed broccoli and a little bit of reduced-fat shredded cheese blend that I had leftover from a Cinco de Mayo dinner of nachos.  Meanwhile, I melted a little bit of Earth Balance in the microwave and used that to coat panko breadcrumbs.  I put the mac and cheese and broccoli in a baking dish and then sprinkled the panko breadcrumbs on top.  I baked that in the oven for about 20 minutes on 400 degrees, and when it was done, I had what looked-- and tasted-- like a gourmet mac & cheese bake.   So yummy!