Broccoli Cheese Mac 'n' Cheese

Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 6
Nutrition per serving (1 of 6 servings): Calories 716, Total Fat 31 g, Saturated Fat 18 g, Carbohydrates 76 g, Dietary Fiber 5 g, Sugar 9 g, Protein 33 g, Cholesterol 82 mg, Sodium 819 mg
Total Time: 45 minutes
Active Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

4 tablespoons salted butter, plus extra for greasing the dish
1 pound elbow macaroni
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
Half a head of broccoli, mainly stalks removed, florets broken into very small pieces
Half a medium onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
2 cups whole milk
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 cup half-and-half cream
2 1/2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup cubed processed cheese such as Velveeta
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup breadcrumbs

Instructions

Heat your oven to 350F. Generously butter a baking dish.
Boil a large pot of water and cook the macaroni according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. Add the celery, broccoli, and onion; saut, stirring frequently, until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to mash some of the broccoli to help thicken the sauce. Sprinkle the flour and dry mustard over the vegetables and stir well to coat evenly. Gradually pour in the milk, broth, and half-and-half, stirring constantly to warm the mixture.
Add the Cheddar, processed cheese, half of the Parmesan, and season with salt and pepper. Stir until all the cheese melts into a smooth sauce. Stir in the cooked macaroni and taste for seasoning. Transfer to the buttered baking dish. Combine the breadcrumbs with the remaining Parmesan and sprinkle evenly over the top. Bake until bubbly and golden, about 25 minutes.

Transform weeknight dinners into creamy, cheesy bliss with this veggie-packed mac 'n' cheesecrispy topped, irresistibly gooey, and ready in under an hour. Your family will devour every bite!