The small boy in my house is fickle. He’ll like something one day and purse his lips and refuse to eat it the next day. It’s my job, as a mother, therefore to get better at packing each meal with good stuff and making them count. (Right?) This baked pasta dish hides 3 pounds of broccoli.
1 lb. pasta (I’ve been loving the organic boxed pasta at Whole Foods for quick meals.)
6-8 oz. medium white cheese, grated
3 lbs. broccoli
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. milk
1 1/2 c. chicken stock (or veggie stock, if you prefer)
- Boil pasta for three minutes less than the recommended time. (It will finish cooking in the oven.) Set aside.
- Wash and chop broccoli coarsely. Steam over boiling water for 5 minutes. Puree in a food processor until smooth. If needed, add a splash of milk to make blending easier.
- In another pan, melt butter, then whisk in milk and salt. Heat until warm over medium. Over the heat, add grated cheese and whisk until smooth. Whisk in broccoli mixture.
- Toss this sauce with the pasta and then spread it into a 9X13 pan.
- Bake at 350F for about 45 minutes until it’s toasty and brown on top.
Dedicated to all first graders (or anyone, really,) who think ‘macaroni and trees’ is a funny joke.
Advertisement
